Oct 14 2012

Pinterest Tested: Cheesecake Factory “Buffalo Blasts” Copycat Recipe

Posted on October 14, 2012 by thepoli3

Who doesn’t love fried food? I mean- talk about classic Americana. I know, I know, its so bad for you but it’s sooo good that sometimes that I just can’t resist! One of my favorite places to eat is the Cheesecake Factory (Fun Fact- did you know their menus cost $12 each to make? Thats why they have ads.) I digress. Hubs hates it there… I don’t know why… its soooo yummy! The only thing he ~~likes~~ loves about Cheesecake Factory is their Buffalo Blasts. I have to admit, they are not my first choice on the 3 page appetizer menu but they are pretty good. When I found this copycat recipe from Tasty Kitchen on Pinterest I knew I had to give it a try. Hubby was so excited that I was making these along with my homemade blue cheese dip. How did they check out? Find out below!

Overall rating: 9.5

Cost: $$ (scale: $-$$$)

Difficulty level: Advanced (scale: beginner, moderate, intermediate, advanced)

Thoughts: Umm… how to put this lightly… these were a pain in the butt! They literally took me a few hours from start to finish! I would definitely recommend just grabbing a rotisserie chicken from the store and shredding it up rather than buying raw chicken breasts and baking, then shredding them. You will not notice a difference and it will save so much time. In any case, my biggest peeve with this recipe was the wonton wrappers. They were so small it was hard to get as much chicken mixture into each little wrapper as possible without overflowing and then causing a big mess when trying to seal the edges together. I had wing sauce all over me. Next time I will try to find larger wrappers for these so its less of a mess and also less tedious work. It took for-ev-er to get a bunch of these scooped, sealed, and dipped in the coating to fry. I’m not sure what type of wrapper the Cheesecake Factory uses because their Buffalo Blasts are larger than these but I highly suggest trying to find out. If I do, I will post an update to save you time too! In the end, I finally got these plated and we really liked them. Or should I say, hubby L-O-V-E-D them. I liked them a lot but after all the time I put into them I was a harsh critic. I probably would’ve loved them too if someone else made them for me. In any case, I will definitely be making these again if I can find the larger size wrappers. I’m not sure how these would go over at a party unless you made them on the spot because typically fried foods don’t travel well. However, take my recommendation and do give these a try with my minor adjustments, you will be glad you did!

Oct 9 2012

Pinterest Tested: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Pie

Posted on October 9, 2012 by thepoli3

A few months back, I pinned this delicious looking recipe and I’ve been eyeballing it every time I peruse my Pinterest “Recipes” Board since… finally, I caved in and whipped it up last weekend.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Pie

This recipe originated from AKM designs and delights and I’m so glad she shared it on her blog and that it somehow landed on our Pinterest page.

Here’s our Real Best Recipe “Pinterest Tested” Results…

Overall rating: 9

Cost: $ (scale: $-$$$)

Difficulty level: Moderate (scale: beginner, moderate, intermediate, advanced)

Thoughts: First of all, if you cook and bake a lot like I do, the cost is pretty low because you usually have the basics on hand (flour, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, etc.) but if you are new to baking, this could be a little more expensive because you do have a lot of things to purchase, which you will use again if you keep baking! I have to say- this is DELICIOUS. -But- This would have been soooo much better as a cookie, rather than a pie. The pretzel crust was okay but this recipe could have totally done without it. Next time I make these again, because I will, I will nix the whole pie/crust thing and just make a ton of cookies. After all, that is what it is… a cookie in a pie crust. And that was the best part. Something else I want to note that I always do when baking cookies (and of course did here) is I underbake them by about 2 minutes. That way they are gooey right out of the oven and stay soft after cooling down. With the Reese’s peanut butter cups in this, it took gooey to a whole new level. After we had our initial slices, I stuck this pie in the fridge to keep, and when going back for more in the following days, I heated each piece up for 30 seconds in the microwave and OMG it was so gooey, peanut buttery, chocolatey and delicious!

In any case, get over to AKM’s site now and print this recipe so you too can enjoy this amazing recipe!

Sep 9 2012

Pinterest Tested: For #Sunday Supper- Bacon Wrapped Cream Cheese Jalapeño Bites

Posted on September 9, 2012 by thepoli3

For this week’s #SundaySupper we are featuring tailgate food, a football season must have! This week, I decided to test out an amazing looking recipe I’ve had pinned for a while on Pinterest:

Bacon Wrapped Cream Cheese Jalapeño Bites

I chose these because I LOVE jalapeño poppers and my hubby LOVES bacon. I also wanted to find something new to bring to football parties besides the usual chips & dip. This recipe comes from Doughmesstic.com.

Bacon Wrapped Cream Cheese Jalapeno Bites

makes 24

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Old Bay
Pinch of Salt
12 Jalapenos, halved & seeded
24 – six inch pieces of bacon, uncooked

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine cream cheese and spices in small bowl. Spoon mixture into each pepper half, until level. Wrap each in bacon, and place on baking sheet. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove and enjoy!

And now for the Real Best Recipe “Pinterest Tested” Results…

Overall rating: 7

Cost: $ (scale: $-$$$)

Difficulty level: Beginner (scale: beginner, moderate, intermediate, advanced)

Thoughts: I had high hopes for these. They were okay, but not what I was expecting. While the concept was amazing (spicy+creamy+salty), there was something amiss here… I think it was the seasoning in the cream cheese. I found it a little strange to be putting a common seafood spice (Old Bay Seasoning) in these but figured if thats what the recipe called for, it should be fine. But after taking a bite of these, I knew I should have listened to my gut reaction and made some without it. Hubby is not a very big fan of these types of snacks but he liked them more than I expected so I give this recipe a 7 out of 10. Would I make these again? Yes but I would alter the spices in the cream cheese (i.e. no Old Bay Seasoning.) and maybe mix some parmesan cheese into it. I probably won’t make these again soon but I am glad I finally got to try them! I have already been eyeballing another recipe on Doughmesstic.com that looks very similar but is a bit different- Bacon and Jalapeño Popovers.

For new home cooks, here is a tip you will thank me for (I learned the hard way!): Make sure you really get those seeds out of the jalapeños. Those are the spice in the pepper and trust me you will taste any seeds you miss because your mouth will be on FIRE! I love spicy foods and even I was kicking myself for leaving a few hard to reach seeds in these because I was just too lazy. You can always whip out a dairy product (i.e. milk, ice cream, yogurt, etc.) to calm your tastebuds after a hot pepper incident but its better not to experience one at all!

In any case, don’t forget to check out what our friend’s at #SundaySupper are making for their football tailgates this season! I have to tell you, some of the best meals I’ve made at home lately come from this group and they all turn out AMAZING!

Join us on Sunday as we share our favorite tailgate recipes and tips. Hop on twitter at 7pm EST for the live #SundaySupper chat.

The Lineup

Pre Game Warm-ups:

Sausage Balls by My Catholic Kitchen
Edamame Hummus by Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
Slow Cooker Rueben Dip by The Meltaways
Buffalo Wing Hummus by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Smokey Guacamole with Bacon by Family Spice
Pepperoni & Mozzarella Pull Apart by In the Kitchen with KP
Boneless Honey BBQ Chicken Wings by Juanita’s Cocina
Candied Pecans by From Fast Food to Fresh Food
Crispy Coconut Chicken Strips with Sweet Chili Sauce by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
Swabian Mini Meatballs (Schwaebische Mini Fleischkuechle) by Galactosemia in PDX
Joe Montana’s Touchdown Guacamole by Noshing with the Nolands
Cheddar Cheese Jalapeno Bites by Mama.Mommy.Mom.
Hot & Spicy Popcorn Chicken by My Trials in the Kitchen
Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers by Real Best Recipe
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites by Family Foodie
Soft Pretzels with Spicy Beer Cheese Sauce by girlichef
Indian Spiced Chicken Meatballs by Soni’s Food for Thought
Game Day Loaded Nachos by The Messy Baker
Buffalo Chicken Dip by Home Cooking Memories
Southwestern Spring Rolls by Supper for a Steal
Pepperoni Pizza Puffs by Comfy Cuisine
Roasted Garlic Bacon Dip with Easy Homemade Tortilla Chips by Daily Dish Recipes
Beer Battered Spiced Sweet Potato Lentil Fritters by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

On the Sidelines:

Anne’s Best Potato Salad with Bacon and Peas by Webicurean
Papa’s Potato Salad & Baked Beans by Kwistin’s Favorites
Simple Roasted Purple Potatoes by Ruffles and Truffles
Spicy BBQ Baked Beans by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen

Main Events:

Gluten Free Breakfast Sandwich by Cooking Underwriter
Pollo Adobado con Papas (Adobo Chicken with Potatoes) by La Cocina de Leslie
Poor Man’s Burrito by Shockingly Delicious
Ham and Mushroom Handpies by Vintage Kitchen Notes
Individual Muffuletta Sandwiches by Magnolia Days
Far East Steak Salad by Diabetic Foodie
Italian Sloppy Joes by The Weekend Gourmet
Hot Chicken Chili by Momma’s Meals
Biscuit Sloppy Joes by Sustainable Dad
Hawaiian Chicken Wraps by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Grandpa Sal’s Sausage and Peppers by Daddy Knows Less
Fancy Filet Chili by I Run for Wine
Homemade Italian Sausage by The Little Ferraro Kitchen
Jalapeno Crockpot Chili by Mama’s Blissful Bites
Flavorful Fall Marinade by Midlife Road Trip
Moose Chili by Mrs. Mama Hen

Overtime:

Peanut Butter-Stuffed Chocolate Cookies by Chocolate Moosey
Streusel Topped Pumpkin Bread by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Zucchini Cupcakes by In the Kitchen with Audrey
Oven-Baked Churros by Small Wallet Big Appetite
Swirl Nutella Cupcakes by Basic N Delicious
Peanut Butter and Pretzel Truffles by Gotta Get Baked

From the Cooler:

Sparkling Tropical Lemonade by Dinners. Dishes, and Desserts
Strawberry Horchata by Damn Delicious
Bloody Mary Gazpacho by 30AEats
MVP Bloody Mary Bar by An Appealing Plan

Wine Pairings by Wine Everyday

Happy Gameday!

Sep 6 2012

Pinterest Tested: Man-Pleasing Chicken

Posted on September 6, 2012 by thepoli3

I saw this on Pinterest; the exact description was: “One pinner said, ‘I have never gotten so many compliments before, let alone for a piece of chicken. David suggested calling this chicken, So Good it Cant Be Described, Explosion on Your Taste Buds Chicken. Exactly. I have never encountered a dish that is so basic and simple to put together yet creates such a big pay off. This chicken, quite simply, is one of the most savory things Ive ever eaten.’ Must try.”

So, naturally, I had to try it. I made it that very night.

Overall rating: 8

Cost: $$

Difficulty level: Beginner (scale: beginner, moderate, intermediate, advanced)

Thoughts: First off, the comments on that recipe are hilarious. “I don’t like mustard, can I substitute something else?” Uh, yeah, seeing as mustard is the main ingredient, you should substitute an entirely different recipe. Anyway, I loved how easy and quick this was. Cut up the chicken, mix the sauce, pour it on top, put in the oven, take out, add rosemary. Almost foolproof.

But– you want to know the important stuff: how did it taste? The comments had plenty of rave reviews that hyped up this chicken even more, but there was also a good amount of not-so-good reviews (mostly from the people who hate mustard but decided to make this anyway– whyyyy?).

What this was: It was pretty good. A good, solid, 8 My boyfriend agreed.

What this was not: This was not ~TaStE BuD ExpLosIoN~ nor “the most savory thing that has ever crossed my lips”. This didn’t taste overly mustard-y, as some of the ~mustard haters~ claimed. It also didn’t taste overly sweet, as some people commented. My sauce also did not do weird things, as some mentioned, such as separate, congeal, turn into Flubber and come alive, etc.

Final verdict: I will make this again because it was so easy and it is good, but I won’t be running through the town praising this chicken any time soon.

*side note: I used chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs. Also, because ~~I caught my oven on fire a few weeks ago and I’m terrified of using high heats now~~ I cut them thin, I decided to cook it on 400 degrees (vs. 450) and it only needed 35 mins (vs. 40). I bet this is even better when it browns (as it looks in the original recipe’s picture), so next time I will use thighs and cook on the recommended heat, and I’ll report back as to whether it made a difference.

Jul 26 2012

Pinterest Tested: {Gluten Free} Baked Oatmeal Casserole

Posted on July 26, 2012 by thepoli3

I pinned this Gluten Free Baked Oatmeal Casserole recently in hopes I could have something quick and healthy for breakfast in the morning for a few days. The recipe comes from the Urban Nester blog.

Overall Rating: 7 (scale: 1-10)

Cost: $$ (scale: $-$$$)

Difficulty Level: Beginner (scale: beginner, moderate, intermediate, advanced)

Thoughts: I am not a big oatmeal fan but these were pretty good. I definitely felt like they were generally healthy even though they contained some sugar and chocolate chips. Overall I liked these, and I think most people would. Would I choose this over other breakfast options? Probably not. But than again, oatmeal isn’t my favorite. These are so easy to make that they’re definitely worth a try in your kitchen!

Do you have any recipes you have pinned & tested recently? How did they turn out? Also, do you have any Pinterest inspired suggestions you’d like us to try out first? Leave a comment and let us know!