Here we go again...Day 1: Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Paul has softball tonight; so I knew I needed to make something that required very little prep once he got home, hence the crock pot dish. This is from Dianna who as never steered me wrong on a recipe. She is the genius behind cake balls, so basically I trust any recipe she suggests. I'm not a big green pepper fan, but I assumed that they would wilt away to nothing after cooking for 8 hours, and I wouldn't even know that they were there.

This recipe is about 200 calories per serving depending on the size of your thigh. Clearly, not your thigh, although looking at my own thigh reminded me to choose a smaller chicken thigh to dine on. A serving includes one thigh and a ladle full of sauce. You can add a cup of any type pasta for an additional 200 calories.

Those of you who are Weight Watcher freaks like me will be happy to hear that this recipe with noodles is only 8 points. If you buy a high fiber pasta, it could lower to 7 points.

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore (1 cup=4 points)

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs

14.5 oz can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

¼ cup dry red wine or chicken broth

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

¾ tsp dried oregano

¾ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

Step 1: Place all ingredients in slow cooker with chicken on top

Step 2: Cook 5-6 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low

Step 3: Make pasta if desired

Kitchen Play by Play: So we all know by now how much I hate touching raw chicken, yet I decided to buy bone IN thighs WITH skin because I am a Jew, and it was much cheaper. Therefore, my prep time was far longer than it should have been because I was ripping away at the skin and peeling off the slimy membrane that was underneath. I did not even try to de-bone the thighs. I figured the meat would be so tender that the bones would be easy to locate. Once I dealt with the chicken mockery, the rest of the prep was simple and quick. I added 2 tablespoons of tomato paste just because. I figured it couldn't hurt and again, the Jew in me was upset about buying an entire can for just one measly tablespoon. I chose to use low sodium chicken broth mostly because I did not have dry red wine in the house. What is considered a dry red wine anyway? I only ever have Shiraz or Cabernet on my wine rack. I used 5 chicken thighs and a very large clove of garlic. I did not add more mushrooms even though a cup seemed like it was not nearly enough. My Jewness did not win here because frankly the mushrooms seemed a little sketchy. There was an unpleasant feel to them that I did not care for. But yes, I still added a cup after thoroughly washing them. I set the crock pot for 8 hours and went about my day. I made mini penne and broccoli(in the steam bags) to go with the meal.

The Finished Product

The Verdict:
Nicole: First off, I was very surprised by how much pasta was on my plate after measuring out a cup. It was definitely worth the extra points. The chicken was super tender and moist, and the bone did fall right out once it hit my plate. The peppers were hard to find and did not bother me at all. I would add more mushrooms next time because I love them. The flavor of the sauce was really good. I would maybe add a clove or two more of garlic next time and maybe a tad more salt, but other than that, it was perfect. I was really full. Well, well worth the 8 points. I'd give it a 4.

Paul-gives it a 4. Chicken was tender, but the sauce was a little thin.

Austin: was taking the chicken by handfuls and shoving it into his mouth. He actually did not finish his noodles, but he took two helpings of broccoli of course.

New Challenge, New Rules

Okay, I have had some time off from cooking and quickly realized it was time to start up again when I looked at our CC bill online. Since I stopped cooking on April 5th, we have spent $115 going out to eat. Slightly justified by a $40 Mother's Day meal(pizza and sandwiches), but still a little out of control. We didn't even go anywhere nice for the remaining $75 . We ordered a pizza and went to Fridays, Buona Beef, and Potbelly.

Clearly, from the above choices money is not all we have to worry about. It's time to start watching our calories and eating out prohibits us from doing so. Hence, the need to start a new challenge centered around low calorie meals.

Due to the nature of the new challenge, I believe that some changes need to be made to the rules. So they are as follows:

1) All recipes must be 400 calories or less per serving

2) A vegetable is required with every meal

3) A variety of cuisine is necessary each week
* Chicken
* Pork/Turkey
* Beef
* Vegetarian
* Slow Cooker

4) One low calorie dessert will be made each week

5) Prep time will increase to 25 minutes given that a lot of fresh ingredients will be used and therefore need to be washed and chopped.

6) Budget will increase to $225 to allow for fresh produce/spices

7) One night a week we will get a night off from a low cal meal. I will still cook, but will make something above our 400 calorie limit.

8) I will behave at Breakfast and Lunch as well to ensure that I see some weight loss by the end of this challenge. I'd like to lose 10lbs, but I'll be realistic and say 5lbs.

That is all. My 400 calorie challenge will begin Tuesday, May 18th. That will give me time to collect more recipes and grocery shop.

If you have some recipes that will work for this challenge, please send them my way.

Final Thoughts

It was an adventure. I really enjoyed looking for and trying out new recipes. Paul and I both noticed a difference in how we felt because of the variety of foods we were eating. We felt healthier and more energized. We used to eat ground beef 3 days in a row and not because we love it, but because I would never think about dinner until the last minute and we always have ground beef in the freezer. The planning has been great for me too. It is so much less stressful when you know exactly what you are cooking for the week. I will continue to make a weekly menu from now on. As far as the budget goes, I stopped adding up the receipts after week 2, so I will be interested to see what the final total adds up to be.

In my mind, I came out on top even if the budget was blown. I cooked for 30 days straight. I included a vegetable in every meal; I made a meal from each category every week, and I used several new recipes many of which will stay in my recipe box until I die.

Here are my top 5 favorites from this challenge

5- Russian Chicken

4- Spinach and Mushroom Frittata

3- Pork Chop Casserole
2- Spaghetti and Meatballs

1- Easy Cheese and Chicken Enchiladas- they were excellent, but really it is because it was the meal that taught me about steam bags.

Here are Paul's top 5:
5-Appetizer Night(Taco dip, BLT Dip, Dog Food Burgers)
4-Stuffed Flank Steak
3-Pork Chop Casserole
2-Easy Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas
1-Buffalo Chicken Casserole

The toughest part of this whole challenge was the actual blogging. I loved sharing my thoughts; but since I am not from the typers, it would take me, on average, about 45 minutes every night to post. This cut into some serious TV time, but more importantly it cut into my time with Paul. He would sit on the couch and rub my feet while I typed, but I still felt like I was robbing him of quality time together.

The Grocery Bill: $216.31. Bummer. In my defense, I set a $175 DINNER budget. As it turned out, this $216 covered the majority of our Lunch budget too because we often had leftovers for lunch. I would guess that my total monthly grocery bill was about $325. Not too bad. We could have spent that easily just on take out and restaurants alone over the course of a week. So at this, I failed. Oh well.

Will I blog again??? It is undeniable that I had a blast doing this and the support from all my friends and family has made it all worth it. But, our scale tells us that something needs to change if I am to continue this journey. We both gained a few which is really shocking to us because we thought we were eating healthier by balancing our meals. I guess we may have let our portion control get a little out of hand :).

So...

I will blog again, but this time all my meals will be waist friendly and 400 calories or less per serving. I was a faithful Weight watchers follower after both of my children were born and found great success each time. Therefore, I have a few of my favorite WW recipes in mind for the next challenge, but nowhere near enough for 30 days.I'll look at Cooking Light and ways to adapt my existing recipes, but I'll still need help. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE send me some recipes to help create the menu. There will be some new rules though. Look for them soon in a future blog.

Due to Mother's Day, I will not even consider starting until Monday. One, I'm a mother and cooking isn't allowed on Mother's Day :). Two, our obscene Mother's Day eating ritual is too good to be missed. Pizza, grinders, and Booby's...oh my!!

Truthfully, I'll probably take a week off to gear up for another 30 days of cooking.

Thanks again to everyone who read this blog and supported me through this process. I could not have survived 30 days without you!!! Let's hope the next challenge is just as fun and rewarding as this challenge was.

Day 30: The End????

This is how my last evening of cooking began...Beautiful flowers and an amazing card from my wonderful and supportive husband. This is just as much his victory as it is mine. I could not have done it without him.

Tonight, on day 30, it is all about Paul and I and what we most love to eat. Our favorite thing in the whole world is appetizers. I picked 4 of our favorites to celebrate the last night of the challenge. You will see a theme of sour cream, cream cheese and mayo. Paul and I both hate mayo but in these appetizers it is so well disguised it is easy to pretend that it is not there. I did cut each recipe in half except one to keep us from consuming 6000 calories this evening because we could easily, without question, take down a full recipe of each in one sitting.

I will give the recipes for them all and rate each separately. Enjoy!

BLT Dip
1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
Tomato, diced
white bread

Step 1: Mix first 4 ingredients together and chill at least 2 hours
Step 2: Toast white bread and slice into large cubes
Step 3: Dip bread in dip. Duh.
Taco Dip
1/2 cup sour cream
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 envelope taco seasoning
lettuce, shredded
tomato, diced
black olives, sliced
Mexican blend cheese, shredded
Tortilla chips

Step 1: Mix cream cheese, sour cream and taco seasoning together. Let meld overnight.
Step 2: Take out cream cheese mixture 30 minutes before assembling to soften
Step 3: Spread mixture on platter. Top with lettuce, tomato, olive and cheese
Step 4: Serve with tortilla chips

Note: You can add a layer of refined beans, salsa, guacamole, etc. This is just the Jeske family's favorite combo of goods.
Dog Food Burgers, Shit on a Shingle or to be PC, Hamburger Snacks
1 lb hamburger meat(80%)
1 lb Bob Evans Original Pork Sausage Roll
1 lb Velveeta, cubed
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes
Cocktail ryes ( 1 package)

Step 1: Brown meat and sausage together; drain.
Step 2: Add cubed Velveeta to the meat and melt over Med. heat.
Step 3: Remove from heat and stir in all spices
Step 4: Using a spoon, scoop meat mixture onto cocktail ryes.
Step 5: Bake prepared ryes at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until bubbly and browned.

Note: I lay half a batch on cookie sheet covered in wax paper and put it in the freezer. Once frozen, I put them in freezer bags and save for another time. Straight from freezer, cook for 15-18 minutes under a watchful eye.

Vegetable Pizza
2 8oz cream cheese
1/3 cup mayo
1/3 cup miracle whip
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon dill
Cheddar cheese
2 tubes Crescent rolls
Veggies: We do broccoli, cauliflower, red onion, tomato(halved cherry tomatoes)

Step 1: Mix first 6 ingredients and let chill overnight.
Step 2: Roll out crescents on cookie sheet and press to seal seams. Bake as directed. Let cool completely.
Step 3: Spread mixture evenly over cooled dough. It is easier to spread if mixture is soft(remove from fridge ahead of time).
Step 4: Top with fresh veggies. I cut all my veggies very small and treat the entire process like a work of art. Carefully placing the veggies so that each piece of pizza will have a sampling of each veggie.
Step 5: top with cheese and cut into squares

Kitchen Play by Play: I broke all my let meld overnight rules because I decided this morning to make tonight appetizer night, so today's prep was a little longer than usual. The taco dip, blt dip and veggie pizza spread are all super simple and took a combined total of like 8 minutes. The Dog Food Burgers, our name of choice, took about 15 minutes total to prepare. You all already know how I feel about cutting ingredients for tacos so that took a while because I make sure the lettuce is completely dry before placing it on the dip. So total time for these three from start to finish would probably be about 25-30 minutes.

Why no picture of the veggie pizza you ask??? That would be because the frickin Jewel tried to kill me and my family on the last night of this challenge. As I began to roll out the Jewel brand crescents, I felt what seemed to be rocks in the dough. Upon further inspection, I realized there were about 20 little "rocks" throughout the dough. I marched the whole cookie sheet to my next door neighbor's house because she is a supervisor at Jewel and asked her what she thought they were. She was as perplexed as I was but gave me the phone number for the Jewel before I left. I called my mother next and asked her if she thought they used rock salt in crescent dough and she asked what the hell I was talking about. When I informed her of my near death experience, she told me to taste it. If it was salt, I'd know. Like an idiot, I listened. It burnt, really tingled,my tongue and did not taste like salt at all. When I told mom it burned she said, " it may be poison." Thanks, thanks a lot mom. Now these damn crescent rolls have almost killed me twice!!! Clearly I am fine as it has been 4 hours and I am still functioning. I have now decided that these " death crystals" are one of two things. 1) Shards of plastic from god knows what or 2) a packet of silicone that comes in purses and shoes with the big bold letters DO NOT EAT. Given the tingling sensation, I'm going to guess it was the latter.

I called the # on the back of the package. I wasn't going to deal with the Bartlett Jewel employees, I was going straight to the top with this or so I thought. Turns out, the higher ups call you back about stuff like this after all your information has been reviewed. Oh, they better call back or I will have my lawyer(Heather) handle this matter and present the evidence(see below). Keep your dirty thoughts to yourself. It did not photograph well.
(It is not supposed to be this thin but I was on a hunt for the crystals of death)

So long story short...no veggie pizza tonight, Sorry.

The Verdict:
Nicole-
Taco Dip-It never disappoints. The worst part of tonight's taco dip is that it was only half a batch. I give it a 5.
Dog Food Burgers-Super cheesy tonight so an automatic 5.
BLT Dip- Too many tomatoes for me, but great flavor overall. I give it a 4.

Paul-
Taco Dip-gives it a 5. No comment necessary...It's taco dip
Dog Food Burgers- 5.
BLT Dip-4.5.

Austin- No need to separate. If it's a dip, he LOVES it. And the dog food burgers he didn't even want in the oven. He just ate the cooked mix straight up!

**I will post my final thoughts on this challenge and the final dollar amount spent over the course of the next few days!!!

Day 29: Lasagna

Lasagna, take two! Mom called this morning and said she had the large can of tomatoes I was missing last night and that I could pick them up from her rather than lug both kids into the Jewel for just one item. So, after a fantastic play date with the McLear ladies, I put the kids in the car and headed to grandma's house...a mile away. She wasn't home, but the tomatoes were waiting for me by the door. Much faster than going to the Jewel and even better Austin fell asleep in the car on the way home, made the transfer, and stayed asleep for almost 2 hours. SWEET!!! Peyton and I folded a shitload of laundry and began the sauce for the lasagna during his nap time.

Mom's lasagna is probably my second favorite dish she makes. My favorite, favorite being stuffed cabbage. I emphasize mom's because when I make her recipe it doesn't taste the same EVER. I actually don't even think I have come close to replicating it all the times I've tried. I use 80 % lean; I don't measure the spices; I buy the block of mozzarella rather than pre-sliced; and I cook my noodles prior to baking. I follow mom's process exactly, but yet I never get her results. I was determined to make my best lasagna yet tonight. There are only two days left of the challenge, and I want to go out with a bang or at least a high rating.

News flash: Mom came to taste test the lasagna tonight. Look for her rating below. *

Cathi's Lasagna
Sauce:
1 1/2 lbs ground beef(80%)-salt/pepper it.
1 16oz can tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
1 large can tomatoes(whole, diced, diced with garlic/basil)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup onions(fresh or frozen)
1 1/2 teaspoon Oregano
1 teaspoon Basil
1 teaspoon Salt

Layers:
Mozzarella Cheese
Grated Parmesan
Lasagna noodles

Step 1: Brown meat with onions; drain. I brown in a large sauce pan to save dishes.

Step 2: Add all other ingredients for sauce into pot. If using whole tomatoes, break them up.

Step 3: Cook 1 hr 30 minutes. Stirring often. Keep covered half way.

Step 4: Boil noodles; drain

Step 5: In 9x13 pan, layer lasagna.
Layer 1: Put a thin meat sauce layer on bottom of pan
Layer 2: Noodles, mozz cheese, sprinkled Parmesan, meat sauce
Layer 3:Noodles, mozz cheese, Parmesan, meat sauce
Top with more Parmesan

Step 6: Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Step 7: take it out and let sit for 5-10 minutes.

Kitchen Play by Play: Making the sauce is super easy. As I stated above, I really do not measure the spices. I used a large can of tomato paste and instead of whole tomatoes mom gave me a large can of diced tomatoes with garlic and basil. I was very leery of this change. I almost stopped at the Jewel anyway to get plain whole tomatoes convinced that mom was trying to sabotage me. She secretly doesn't want me to make a lasagna as good as hers because then I won't need her to make it for me any more because she loves that I invite myself, my husband and my two kids over for dinner. This is entirely not true(I don't think), but this is what I concocted in my head after picking up the "incorrect" tomatoes. Anyway, the sauce simmers on low for a long time so just make sure you stir often to prevent burning.

I started boiling the water for the noodles about 20 minutes before the sauce was done. While the noodles were boiling I sliced the mozzarella. I use the big square mozzarella brick. I use Frigo brand, but Jewel makes one too. Today my slices were not so good. Some were way thicker than others, but after 29 days no one should be surprised to hear that my knife skills are not up to par. I chose to make two 8 x 8 pans(foil) and freeze one for another time, or we'd be eating lasagna for days. Layering the lasagna was also super easy. I did have to cut some noodles due to my shortened pans, but other than that no real adjustments had to be made. Make sure you let it sit for at least 5 minutes after it comes out of the oven or it will be runny when you cut into it. I served the lasagna with garlic bread and green beans.

The finished product
The Verdict:
Nicole- Yummy, yummy, yummy. Not quite mom's but DEFINITELY my best lasagna to date. Very proud of myself. I give it a 5.

Paul-gives it a 4.5.

Austin- ate it. It's noodles. But he did need to be bribed with garlic bread to get down an extra few bites. He ate all of his green beans. Shocker :)

Cathi (mom)-4.2. "I think that because you divided it, it wasn't as meaty as it could have been." " The sauce had good taste."

* I called to invite her and I'm really glad she came, but I didn't think she would because she ate lunch at 1:30. Once I found out she was coming my heart started to race a little. What if it sucked??? Pressure was on!!!!

Day 28: Meatloaf (by default)

Tonight was supposed to be my mom's awesome lasagna, but after three trips to the grocery store, due to forgotten ingredients, when I discovered I was still missing something I threw in the towel and looked elsewhere for dinner. I WILL make it tomorrow night.

The meatloaf is my mom's recipe too. I have made it several times before, and it never tastes like hers'. However, unlike other recipes, I actually know what the root of the problem is...I use 93% lean ground beef so it never gets juicy. Tonight I sucked it up and used 80% lean instead. We'll see if it really makes that big of a difference.

I hate touching raw meat; so even though this recipe is ridiculously easy, I have a hard time making it because the ONLY way to mix and mold it is with your bare hands. YUCK!!!!

My favorite part of this recipe is that it always rescues me in a pinch because ninety five percent of the time I have all the ingredients in the house to make it and thank goodness tonight was one of those times or I may have failed my mission.

Mom's Meatloaf
2lb 80%lean ground beef
salt/pepper
2 eggs
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup onions(fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup green pepper(fresh or frozen)
Ketchup

Step 1: Mix all of the ingredients except ketchup in bowl.

Step 2: Put in loaf pan(grease if it is not a non stick pan)

Step 3: Bake at 350 degrees for 1hr 30min

Step 4: Top with ketchup once meatloaf is brown on top. Put back in the oven for remaining time.

Kitchen Play by Play: Even though this was a last minute decision, it was in the oven 5 minutes after I decided to make it. I do not like leftover meatloaf, so I always cut this recipe in half for us. I use 1lb meat, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, 1 egg and do not measure the onions and green peppers. I ALWAYS use frozen veggies. I only cook it for about 1 hour, but always check the middle before officially taking it out. Since it is only 1lb of meat, it only fills a little over half of the loaf pan. No biggie, still cooks the same and stays in loaf form. Tonight we had green beans and mandarin oranges to complete the meal.

The finished product
The Verdict:
Nicole: The meat makes a difference. It was really hard to look past the quarter of an inch of meat grease that was floating on the bottom of the pan, but I was hungry. It was my best meatloaf yet even if I had to strain the grease from my piece as I lifted it out of the loaf. It was delicious. Super moist, very flavorful. Perfectly cooked. I doused it in ketchup and enjoyed every bite. I give tonight's meatloaf a strong 4.

Paul- gives it a 3.5. "meatloaf has never been one of my favorites, and I was gearing myself up for lasagna." *

Austin-did not touch it. He ate all his green beans and oranges, but didn't want meat. It may have something to do with the fact that he had a cheeseburger with ketchup for lunch. He was "meated" out.

* I just told him if he really wanted it that bad no one was stopping him from going to the store. In his defense though, he was in the middle of mowing the lawn.

Day 27: Crunchy Onion Chicken and Cake Balls

I chose Crunchy Onion Chicken about 30 minutes prior to cooking. As of then, I still didn't have a five ingredient recipe, so I went through my pantry and read the backs of all the cans and boxes to find something to make. The French's Fried Onion can provided me with this 4 ingredient recipe. We like chicken; we like fried onions, so it was a pretty safe choice.

Cake balls...ohhh sweet, sweet cake balls. Thanks(or no thanks) to Dianna I was introduced to these devil desserts. They are seriously addicting; you can't eat just one. I really struggled with whether I was going to make them or not because I knew that if they were in my house I 'd eat like...all of them.

They are very similar to Paul's speciality, Oreo Balls. Exact same prep work, just a few different ingredients. Paul's co-workers demand cake balls about twice a year; they love them so much that the ladies at his work coined them oreogasims. The men at work make jokes all day long about Paul's delicious balls. I will quickly give the recipe for these as well in case someone is interested. Whether it's cake balls or Oreo balls you crave, either way you will not be disappointed.

Crunchy Onion Chicken
4 chicken breasts
2 cups French Fried Onions
2 tablespoons flour
1 egg, beaten

Step 1: Crush onions in baggie with flour

Step 2: Dip chicken in egg then coat with onions

Step 3: Cook at 400 degrees for 20 minutes

Kitchen Play by Play: Austin helped measure and crush the onions. I dipped and coated them. The END!!! Served with broccoli(steamed in my new BFF) and mac n cheese.

The Finished Product:
The Verdict:
Nicole- What a great find!!! This recipe has been sitting in my pantry the whole time, and I never knew it. I can not get over how moist the chicken was!!! It was a great contrast to the crunchy coating. I would maybe salt and pepper the egg mixture next time just for a little more saltiness; but other than that, I am really impressed. Super, super easy with a very quick cook time. I ate my chicken with some BBQ sauce. Yummy!! I give it a 4.

Paul-gives it a 4. "Sometimes all you need is a little crunchy onion." Paul dipped his chicken in honey mustard.

Austin- HOLY COW!!!! This child went to town on dinner tonight. He asked for seconds of everything. Paul and I don't remember the last time we saw him eat so much. He dipped his chicken in ranch.

Cake Balls
Box of any flavor cake mix (and ingredients needed to prepare it), or favorite cake
Can of any flavor frosting (or your favorite frosting recipe)
Any flavor almond bark or candy coating

Step 1:Bake the cake according to box directions, or prepare your favorite cake recipe.

Step 2:Once the cake has cooled, crumble into a large bowl using a fork (the smaller the crumbs, the better). Stir in frosting until a paste is formed.

Step 3: Chill the mixture for at least an hour.

Step 4: Once chilled, roll into balls and freeze overnight (I place mine on wax paper on a cookie sheet).

Step 5: Dip frozen balls into melted almond bark or candy coating and allow to cool. Store at room temperature or if preferred, chilled.

A couple of tips(from Dianna): Unless you have a candy dipper thingy, I recommend two fondue forks for dipping if you have them.The balls thaw rather quickly and can fall apart when dipping, so I keep half the batch in the freezer while dipping the first half.

Oreo Balls
1pkg Oreos
1 8 oz cream cheese, warmed
Almond bark or candy coating, melted

Exact same process. Just blend the Oreos until powdery. Add cream cheese until a paste forms.

Kitchen Play by Play: So easy. The hardest part is waiting 24 hours for them and destroying the perfectly cooked cake. I am not patient enough to really care about the ascetics of the balls, so mine end up looking a little lumpy with extra chocolate on the bottoms. However, I have never received a complaint for the extra chocolate. There are so many different options with the cake balls. I chose to do Chocolate Fudge cake with chocolate frosting and chocolate candy coating. I did run out of candy coating so I used the vanilla almond bark I had in the pantry for the remainder of the balls. With the Oreo balls, we have done mint Oreos, PB Oreos, and regular Oreos. These really are desserts that keep on giving due to endless possibilities. I think I will try Carrot cake balls next time with cream cheese frosting and vanilla candy coating. Or maybe Red Velvet, or Spice, or all of the above!!!

The Finished Product
The Verdict:
Nicole- There are no words...5.

Paul-gives them a 4.5 and he doesn't like cake. "As far as cake goes, it's the only way I like it."

Austin's sole purpose in life is to eat cake balls or at least that is the way he has made it seem these last two days. They have been a great bargaining tool. :) He would eat them until he burst and then probably just start all over again.