Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bites

         
                 Well, it's official; I'm getting older. Bedtime is 11:00 P.M., three beers equals a hangover, and I have officially discovered a different, less exciting, definition to "Do-It-Yourelf" fun (AKA crafting..ugh). Since I am a broke grad student, I have resorted to making my own presents for friend's birthdays, holiday celebrations, and guilt-forced family gatherings. These bite sized treats were the lovechild of my frugal lifestyle and boredom. Nothing says "You're a great friend and I'm poor" like showing up to a birthday party with a $4 bottle of Moscato and dessert! However, a few birthday toasts later, and these cheesecake bites were the most important part of the night. Really, what else are you to eat after a night of drinking when you've spent all your money on overpriced Vegas Bombs? Whether you make these for a small gathering, child's birthday party, or just to have around the house, I guarantee you'll keep opening your fridge to stuff one in your mouth. (Shhhh, I won't judge!)

"Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bites"

Ingredients 

• 18 Oreo cookies
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 16 oz. cream cheese (softened)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup sour cream (or yogurt if you're a health-nut)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract 
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (mini or regular, I used regular)
• caramel sauce for topping 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Line cupcake tins with liners (I used mini cupcake tins). In food processor of blender, chop Oreos until they are finely crumbed. Pour crumbs into a bowl and mix with melted butter. 
3. Press 1 tblsp. of cookie mixture into bottoms of cupcake tins. Bake for 5 minutes and let cool once removed from oven. 
4. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add sugar and sour cream, beat until fluffy and mixed well. Add the eggs one at a time and beat on low speed. Mix in vanilla and chocolate chips. 
5. Spoon 1 tblsp. of mixture into cupcake tins. Tins should be nearly full! Bake for 20-23 minutes. The centers will be a little jiggly, so press lightly in the middle to make an indentation for caramel sauce. Let chill for 2 hours in refrigerator.
6. To top cheesecakes with caramel: melt hard caramels and heavy cream, make your own caramel sauce (ha, ok), or use a premade caramel sauce found at the grocery store (winner!). Sprinkle cheesecakes with leftover chocolate chips if desired. 

        Since making a full cheesecake is damn near impossible for me, these little bite sized buggers will have to do for now! Plus, what person doesn't love eating with their hands? We're all kiddos at heart. This life-saving recipe comes from Sally's Baking Addiction, which is actually one of my favorite food blogs to stalk. And P.S., her dog is adorable. Well, since I'm out of clever, insightful, or funny things to say, I'm going to bed. (Look at that! 9:42 P.M., *sigh*). At least I still have my bladder control.

                                   Number of Pinterest recipes completed: 22
                                   I declare this recipe a: small victory for cheap friends everywhere

Cream Puffs with Homemade Whipped Cream

                     If hell were a snow globe, it would look like this year's winter.My legs have hired their own personal hairstylists, and new brides can now order their dresses to match the color of my pasty skin. Oh Summer, Summer, wherefore art thou Summer? At this point I'm convinced that a taxidermy groundhog could predict the weather better than Puxatony Phil. Seriously, where is the heat?
                     Although it may seem like we will never be able to bust out our new Victoria Secret swimsuits (Ha, sure! I got mine at Wal-Mart), believe it or not, there is a way to bring the summer vibes straight to you. Cream puffs, guys, cream puffs! Nothing says Summer Fun quite like this tasty dessert. Although, being passed out on the beach with a cooler full of Bud Light Lime also seems to ring a bell. Unlike the latter, however, eating cream puffs doesn't require me to leave my house. Really though, you probably have majority of these ingredients in your kitchen! So don't you even worry about pausing your Netflix binge, baby! Let's get cookin.

"Cream Puffs" 

Ingredients: 

•  1 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• 2 tblsp. milk
• 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 
• chocolate chips for melting (optional)
• strawberries (optional)
• additional powdered sugar (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In saucepan bring water, butter, and salt to a boil
2. Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes
3. Add eggs one at a time, beat in between additions. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny. 
4. Drop 1/4 cup fills (3 in. apart) onto greased baking sheets. Cook for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cut slit in puffs for steam to escape. 
5. While puffs cool, in a large bowl, beat whipping cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until almost stiff. Cut puffs horizontally and scoop out soft insides. (It will appear as almost uncooked dough). 
6. Put cream into puffs. Dust with extra powdered sugar. Garnish with strawberries, whipped cream, or melted chocolate. Better yet, get a dessert orgy goin' and do all three!
7. Store in refrigerator.

                  Cream puffs without the carnies? Sign me up! These puffs are perfect for any occasion, especially if you want to make as large of a mess as possible. Sorry, bibs are unfortunately not included. Thank you to Taste of Home for posting the original recipe. Although I may not be as famous as that website, I guarantee I can make as delicious of a puff. Now you all can, too!

                
                        Number of Pinterest recipes completed: 21
                        I declare this recipe a: reason for Grease 3? Summerlovinhappenedsofast!

                      

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Pie

                 Personally, I feel the best thing a significant other can tell you is: "I was wrong". When we were young, the thought of our boyfriends saying "I love you" was enough to make us  jump out of our jean mini-skirts and into his sheets (that his mom probably washed). As we grow older, however, we find ourselves craving a different three-word phrase. Now, I don't mean to come off as insensitive, but I'll just go ahead and blame my 12 years of competitive volleyball-playing for my unfortunate drive to compete.
                 Of course there are two sides to every story....and unfortunately to every phrase. Just as a partner may admit defeat, you will also have to surrender your impeccable knowledge once in a while. This, my dear readers, is the worst thing to say in a relationship, "You were right". *Nails on a chalk board*.
                  So where am  I going with this? Ahhh yes, this recipe! Since my boyfriend probably will never visit any other site besides Reddit.com, I can openly admit on this blog that he is a genius and  was in fact "right". Although he is a brilliant and talented mechanical engineer, after tasting this concoction he created after too many PBR's, I have to admit that he could have easily became a chef.  It is quick to make, relatively inexpensive, and has chocolate pudding as the main ingredient. You can't beat that.

"Chocolate Covered Strawberry Pie" 

Ingredients: 

• Graham cracker pie shell (premade- or homemade if you're that baker)
• 1 tub Cool Whip
• 1 box instant chocolate pudding (plus fixins' that are required on box)
• 1 cup chocolate chips plus extra for decoration
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 carton of strawberries

Directions: 

1. Melt chocolate chips and heavy cream in microwave or over stovetop. Stir frequently until chocolate is a consistency where you would like. Feel free to add or subtract heavy cream and chocolate chips to get desired amount and thickness. 
2. Cut slices of strawberries. Be sure to have enough to cover the bottom of the pie pan. Lay slices on bottom of graham cracker pie shell. Be sure fruit is washed or consider E. coli to be another ingredient.
3. Pour melted chocolate over the strawberries. Put in refrigerator for  5-10 minutes, or until hardened. 
4. While chocolate is hardening, make pudding by following the instructions on the back of the box. Once pudding is made, add half the tub of Cool Whip to the pudding and stir until smooth. 
5. Take pie shell out of the refrigerator and pile on the pudding mixture! Add enough as you would like. 
6. Pipe extra Cool Whip onto pie for decoration. 
7. Garnish with chocolate chips and strawberry (optional)
8. Store in freezer but let thaw for 5 minutes before serving

                   I apologize for the archaic guessing-style of measurement that I used in this recipe, but it was just a system of adding and mixing what my boyfriend felt like. How Julia Child! (Except she looks better in a dress and pearls.) If you have any questions about this recipe or any of my other disasters, feel free to message me or leave a comment. As any young female living in today's society, my only sources of nutrition are coffee and social media----meaning, I'll be happy to respond to any interaction I receive on this site! I promise to not wait another 3 months before posting a new recipe. The winter was cruel and grad school was crueler. Until next time, readers! Enjoy getting your hands dirty; now that's something I would LOVE to talk about. xoxoGOSSIPGIRL