Few things are better than a warm, festive, comforting dessert, inspired by our favorite holiday flavors~ other than maybe a warm, festive, comforting dessert, that’s also SIMPLE! The last thing we need after shuffling hot pans to create the perfect holiday meal, is a troublesome dessert~ so here we are! 

These Bartlett pears are sweet, succulent, and provide the perfect backdrop for a nice soaking of spiced RUM! Drizzled with a thick, and decadent eggnog glaze, these will be your go-to holiday dessert favorite for years to come!

Thanks to USA PEARS – we have almost every variety of scrumptious pears available to us!

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BARTLETT

 And now for this delicious recipe – RUM POACHED PEARS ..with Eggnog Glaze:

What you’ll need for 6 Pear halves (double recipe for more):

Bartlett Pears – peeled

Rum

Rum infusions – star anise, cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg, ginger

The Glaze:

2 cups Eggnog

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

2 cinnamon sticks

Instructions:

Peal the pears, and slice them evenly in half

In a large pot, simmer the Rum and all of the spices (to taste)

Add in the pears, and simmer them until they’re tender, and well infused with the spiced Rum 

For the Glaze:

In a med sauce pot, add in the eggnog and the Glaze spices, bring to a simmer while stirring consistently.. until thick

Serve the pears warm, generously drizzled with the glaze! ~Enjoy! 🙂

 

The post ~Rum Poached Pears .. with Eggnog Glaze! first appeared on Oh Bite It.

Ahh cheese… that snacking savior we’ve come to rely on for all of our personal, and public food fare.  You can’t go wrong with cheese right?!  Especially when that cheese is as amazing, as creamy, as decadent.. as the culinary queen of all things cheese > BRIE! OMG.. Brie.. is there anything that a little Brie can’t make better? … I think not.  

Call it a cop-out, call it the easy way out.. but there just isn’t a better effort-to-payoff ratio than when Brie is involved.  And this time is no different!

Up your entertaining game, by serving up some warm, buttery, sticky & sweet, melty brie bombs, that will explode with flavor and leave everyone begging for more.  Each warm, nutty bite, is bursting with sweet and savory brie! Your holiday table will never be the same!

~Make LOTS!

What you’ll need:

1 container of Pillsbury Grands Flay Layers Biscuits (8 count)

32 – 1″ cubes of Brie cheese

1 cup maple syrup

1 cup chopped nuts.. I used pecans

1 tbsp. ground nutmeg

Directions:

Cut each biscuit into 4 equal pieces.

Cut the brie into approx 1″ cubes…

Roll each piece of dough out slightly, and add one cube of brie to the center, wrap the dough very well around the brie…

Set them aside…

Now in a small bowl, combine the syrup, the nuts, and the nutmeg.. mix to combine…

Into a small, parchment-lined sheet pan with a wide lip, add the syrup..

Place all the stuffed dough balls down into the syrup.. in a single layer…

Bake them at 350 degrees for approx, 12-15 minutes, or until they’re evenly golden and firm…

Let them cool for just a few minutes…

Flip them out onto your serving platter.. and then DIG IN!  ~Enjoy!  🙂

The post ~Sticky Maple Brie Bombs! first appeared on Oh Bite It.

Tis the season! The season of fun, family, friends.. and FOOD! And with food comes a bunch of hungry people in your living room, waiting, and waiting.. and waiting for that dinner bell to ring.  

What better way to keep them all out of your hair calm, than to keep an endless supply of pre-meal nibbles at their fingertips, and by nibbles.. I mean deliciously decadent appetizers.

I don’t think it gets easier, and more impressive than this succulent sweet & savory baked brie~ you’re only a few simple steps, and a few more minutes away from being the MVP of holiday appetizers!

What you’ll need:

one pecan pie

one wheel of brie

one container of Pillsbury crescent dough sheet 

1 egg w/ a splash of water .. for egg wash

1/4 cup chopped pecans tossed with a dash of sugar .. for topping (optional)

Directions:

Simply remove the outer white layer of the brie, proceed to eat it as you continue..lol

Now, trim the center of the pecan pie around the brie, so they match up in size…

unroll the dough, and place the cheese and pie, pie-side down onto the dough, with the brie on top.  gently fold the dough evenly and securely over the edges, pinching as you go to ensure a good seal..

Place it seam-side down onto a parchment lined sheet pan, brush with egg wash…

and top with some pecans and a sprinkle of sugar…

Now bake it at 350 degrees, for approx. 15 minutes or so.. just until it’s golden and melty..

Let it cool a few minutes before cutting into it, serve that baby UP…

then dig in!

~Enjoy! 🙂

The post ~Pecan Pie Baked Brie! first appeared on Oh Bite It.

Well, since it’s that “holiday” time of year again~  it only makes sense to include our favorite multi-purpose meat into the munching mix of tasty treats.  .. right?!

~ YES.. that’s right!  I’m talking about bacon. Good old bacon deserves its own holiday feature, so it can sparkle and shine, as it brings such joy to everyone ..as it always does.  This time, we’ve added all of our typical holiday flavor-suspects, to create a one of a kind, sweet, salty, whimsical, and delicious holiday treat like nothing you’ve ever had.  

Crispy and crunchy..  sweetly spiced with a little chew at the end… this will quickly become a holiday favorite!

Whip up a batch of this festive fare to give out as little holiday treats, or simply to bring as a hostess gift.

This bacon will be remembered long after Santa is gone (especially, if you leave some out for him.. I mean, he gets enough cookies right?! ) .

~Make LOTS!

What you’ll need:

1 lb. thick cut bacon

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 splash of rice wine vinegar… (optional, but very tasty)

red & green sprinkles and powdered sugar ..for garnish

Directions:

pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

mix brown sugar, rice vinegar, spices, and maple syrup all together to form a syrupy-thick sauce…

place bacon slices on a cooling rack, set over a baking sheet

bake in the oven for 10  minutes, turn slices, and bake another 5 minutes

remove bacon and brush both sides with the sauce,,, return the bacon back to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes.  Repeat basting every 5 minutes or so, just until the bacon is completely brown.. (approx. 30 minutes)

As it cools, sprinkle the sticky bacon with the sprinkles.. it will crisp up as it cools..

Prepare for the best tasting holiday bacon EVER!

And DIG IN!  ~Enjoy! 🙂

The post ~Christmas Bacon Candy! first appeared on Oh Bite It.

One positive thing about thinking up culinary craziness like I do, is that just when you think you’ve really lost your mind, like magic.., something pops into your head that tops the last thing.. therefore making you believe that when you thought you were crazy.. you really weren’t ..until now.. for now.  Make sense??  :/ No…? oh well,.  Neither will this recipe, so sit tight.

I’ve taken my disdain for the candy corn, and lazer-focused that energy, sending those tri-colored bullets of boredom screaming into a hot pot where they became something that I think we can all actually live with.  

Now, I know that at first glance, this recipe might seem horrid, and by “horrid” I mean gross.. but don’t go yet.  lol.  Think of these buffalo wings as a spicy, sticky, sweet & savory glazed snack, that in reality, beats just about all other chicken wings I’ve ever had in the flavor department.  

By the first bite, you will forget all about the candy corn, and simply sink into the most succulent, sweet and spicy wings ever.  In fact, if you didn’t tell anyone about your “secret scary ingredient”.. no one would ever guess that you used candy corn as the glaze.  

Just give them a try.. what do you have to lose.. other than piles of candy corn petrifying around your house collecting dust until next year!  Do it.. if you get hate, just call them a trick, instead of a treat..and serve them anyway.  🙂 

Make LOTS!

What you’ll need:

2 dozen buffalo chicken wings.  *I highly suggest purchasing prepared, fully cooked, spicy buffalo wings.. then just jazzing them up with the glaze.  BUT, feel free to make your own wings if you’d like, and continue with the directions.

1 – 11oz. bag of candy corn

1/4 cup water

a double boiler

Directions:

Place the  (cooked) wings onto a sheet pan and heat all the way through (this is where you’d prepare your wings if you’re not using store-bought)

Place the candy corn in a double boiler with the water and melt them down.. stirring almost constantly..  

..this takes a while.  Make sure to melt them down fully, so you don’t have candy corn lumps which will enrage your guests even more..lol.

When the candy corn dies (a.k.a melts), and reincarnates into this delicious glaze.. pour it over your wings..

gently tossing them to coat completely…

Plate them up…

And serve them to those who are forced to love you no matter how crazy you are…

And DIG IN!  ~Enjoy! 🙂

The post ~Candy Corn Glazed Buffalo Wings! first appeared on Oh Bite It.

We’re in the middle of a new world of doughnuts..a revolution of that round, fluffy, sweet disk of deliciousness, and it’s a great time to be alive I tell you.

Back when I was a kid (Oh jeez).. I think there were like 5 kinds of doughnuts (maybe)..haha!  NOW~  now there’s every kind of doughnut you can imagine, and it’s glorious.

Thanks to the quality and ease of Lucky Leaf Premium Cherry Fruit Filling & Topping I was able to create a doughnut like no other.  It’s true.  Take a look at all of the layers upon layers of buttery crescent doughnut mixed with these beautiful and deliciously plump, sweet, cherries.

The quality that Lucky Leaf provides is beyond compare!

“What We’re Made Of:
What do you call a grower-owned company who made its name by making high-quality easy-to-use dessert products? Lucky Leaf, that’s what. Since 1949 we’ve stayed true to our mission of providing bakers with simple, delicious products to make their lives a little easier.

At first, we focused on Lucky Leaf Apple Sauce. As times changed, and the world started moving at a faster pace, people stopped having time to make pies from scratch. That’s when we decided to step in and help. To take care of the apple-peeling hand aches, we started producing ready-to-use apple fruit filling. In no time, it hit the shelves and good ol’ apple pies were back in the oven.

America’s appetite for Lucky Leaf grew, so we expanded our line of flavors. Today you’ll find Premium Cherry, Apple, Blueberry, Peach, Lemon, Red-Raspberry and many more in your grocery store.

60 years later, we still say “make it easy, make it delicious, make it with Lucky Leaf,” and we’ll continue to improve and expand upon our customers’ needs for years to come.

The Lucky Leaf Label History
Although rare, you may have spotted the original four-leaf clover Lucky Leaf label at one point in your life – perhaps in your grandma’s kitchen when you were a kid. Since the original 1949 design, the label has gone through three additional changes to keep the brand as fresh as its fruit fillings.”

BUT, I have to say..out of all the new-age doughnuts, my ultimate favorite is the cronut style, multi layered, gooey filled fantasy come true.  I’ve taken this style doughnut to savory levels, sweet levels and now…fruity levels and they’re all to.die.for!  And perfect for the holidays!

This time, I thought it would be delicious to incorporate cherries into the light and layered doughnut mix and did it ever take them to another level of scrumptiousness.

Each cloud-like bite is filled with buttery crescent dough greatness, and layer upon layer of sweet and sassy filling.

Top them with some glaze and now, there’s no going back!

What you’ll need:

1 container of pillsbury seamless crescent dough

1-18 oz. can of cherry pie filling/topping

1 cup of vanilla frosting

1-3″ round cookie cutter

green candies for decoration/// optional

oil for frying..I used canola

Directions:

Roll out the dough and spread an even (not too much), but thin layer of the cherry filling over it… *Reserve the rest for the doughnut topping..

Now fold the dough over, and repeat.

Cut the filled dough into doughnut shapes using the round cutter…

You can cut out the center hole if you like, or not..it wont matter~

Fry them one at a time in the hot (350 degree) oil…

until they’re evenly golden, and puffy…

Let them cool..

Now drizzle them with some frosting…

…and top them with some of the reserved cherry filling.

Let them set up for a few minutes, unless you don’t mind the super sticky fingers…

NOW~  you can share…

OR just take a moment to enjoy their beauty …

I mean, just look at those amazing layers of goodness…

So serve them up…

OR just um…eat them all yourself… ~Enjoy!  🙂

Be sure to check out Lucky Leaf all across social as well and share the love!  <3

FACEBOOK > PINTEREST > TWITTER > YOUTUBE 

The post ~Cherry Crescent Doughnuts! first appeared on Oh Bite It.

I get such a kick out of combining innocent, favorite childhood treats with our favorite corrupt adult ‘treats’, so much so… that they become just a seedy shadow of their former innocent selves..lol!  🙂

Such as, infusing Vodka shots with the fun and youthful experience of Tootsie Pops & Blow Pops!  Talk about a deliciously magical morph of sweet sin, that ends with a tasty tootsie or beautiful bubbles to liven up any gathering.

These adult only suckers will breathe life into your holiday party, especially after hours.  When the kiddos head off to dream-land, all the grown-ups can come out to play in the tastiest way ever.  The Tootsie Pops and Blow Pops add such a fun color and fabulous flavor as the alcohol works its magic and makes you feel like a kid again..in an adult way. 🙂

Set these out at your next grown-up gathering and enjoy all the child-like smiles!

What you’ll need:

Tootsie Pops and/or Blow Pops, any flavors you like..one per shot.

Vodka

Frosting and sprinkles for decoration..optional.

Directions:

Gently place the rim pf the shot glasses down into some frosting, and then into some festive sprinkles…

Now fill them up with Vodka…

You can go for it now, or let them hang out together for a few minutes and reach their flavor potential…

Share with your most fun friends…

And don’t forget about …  YOU!

How many licks?  Let me know!  ~Enjoy! 🙂

The post ~Tootsie Pop & Blow Pop Shots! first appeared on Oh Bite It.

It’s that wonderful time of year again, where the leaves fall, the breezes turn cool, and comfort food fills the tables.

This year I decided to put a slightly different spin on a Southwestern style Christmas classic recipe in our house, ..the good old Tamale.  I’ve never been able to master tamale making on my own, however it remains a family favorite even though we typically rely on other talented tamale makers to generously share with us.  That is..until now.

Thanks to Smithfield, I was able to capture all the incredibly delicious elements of a tamale, all in one, easy to make, easy-to-feed-a-crowd, casserole.  Deep layers of creamy cornbread, spicy red chile, and succulent pulled pork, are deliciously baked under a gooey blanket of melty cheese, ready to take your Fall/holiday table to places its never been.

~And in a matter of minutes, you can too!  Here’s how:

What you’ll need:

1- 8x5x3″deep casserole dish..  any size will work, it just depends on your preferred casserole thickness.

1- 1.15 oz. Smithfield Slow Roasted Golden Rotisserie Pork Tenderloin

2 cups of shredded cheese, any will work..I used a Monterey Jack blend

1 box of Cornbread mix, I used Jiffy

1/2 cup sour cream

1 can creamed corn

1 Egg

2 cups of Red Chile Enchilada Sauce

1 tsp. garlic powder (and/or fresh chopped garlic)

1 tsp. chile powder

salt and pepper to taste

Extra Sour Cream and Cilantro for garnish

Directions:

Slow cook the pork tenderloin until fully cooked and shred it with 2 forks..

(reserve some of the cooking liquids, about a cup or so)….

In a large bowl combine the box of cornbread mix ..with the egg, 1/2 cup of sour cream, can of creamed corn, salt and pepper, and gently mix to fully combine…

Pour it into the casserole dish and bake it at 350 for approx. 12 minutes, or until it’s cooked through…

Let it mostly cool and carefully poke holes throughout the cornbread…

Drizzle 1 cup of the red chile sauce into the holes and evenly all over the cornbread…

Now, in a medium skillet, pour in a splash or 2 of the reserved pulled pork cooking liquid, add in all the pulled pork and the remaining red chile sauce, simmer until it’s reduced by half and its thickened up a bit…

Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat and place it all on top of the cornbread…

Annnd now for the cheese, all over the top of that meaty goodness…

Bake it up at 350 degrees for approx. 15 minutes, just until it’s heated through…

Serve it up nice and hot…

Grab a plate for um, YOU.. with some sour cream of course!

And then you can DIG IN!

Check out Smithfield Foods all across social as well:

FACEBOOK > TWITTER > YOUTUBE

The post ~Pulled Pork Tamale Casserole! first appeared on Oh Bite It.

I’m not quite sure which tidbit is the most disturbing…the fact that I actually had leftover rum balls just sitting around, or the fact that I decided to give them new life by frying them up!?  I’ll try not to analyze it, instead, I’ll just pop another deep fried rum ball into my mouth and go about my day…lol!

Although it’s no secret that I think that the answer to anything leftover in life is to fry it.  It seriously makes the old new again, in such a fun and amazing way.  I prefer to use the no-batter method of frying which is simple, clean and super fast!  Not to mention, easy and perfectly golden each and every time!

The butter crescent dough is the perfect little snuggie for a sweet and tastefully tipsy little rum ball!  These were a bigger hit that the original rum balls…and guess what?  There were NO leftovers! So, take that you regular Balls you!

`Make a giant batch, impress and amaze everyone…then walk out in slow motion!  BOOM!  🙂

What you’ll need:

one container of pillsbury crescent dough..either the sheet or regular crescents with the seams sealed up.

Oil for frying..I used Canola

a 2″ round cutting tool.  I used a little ramekin!

Rum Balls!

2 cups crushed ‘nilla wafers

2 cups finely chopped almonds..or any nut you prefer
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup Rum
1/4 cup Milk or cream
1 tbsp. Nutmeg..optional
1/2 cup powdered sugar for rolling the balls
A food processor helps, but muscles will work too!

Directions:

Crush up the nilla wafers and the almonds until they’re super fine.

Pour in the corn syrup…

Now add in the Milk or Cream

And the Rum!

And now add the 2 cups of powdered sugar..Pulse until it’s able to stick together in your fingers.

Add the 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and nutmeg into a shallow bowl …

Scoop out approx. 1 tbsp. of the mixture and roll it tightly into balls, then roll them in the nutmeg/sugar mixture. Set them on some wax paper to set up for a few seconds or so..lol…

Roll out the Crescent dough so it’s even and cut out approx. 2″ circles…

Place one rum ball into the center and seal it up super tight!

Fry up a few at a time in about 3″ of hot (350 degrees) Oil…

Let them cool…

Dust them with some powdered sugar and nutmeg for beauty!

These are too good not to share…

Grab a few for um..YOU!

Dig in!  ~Enjoy! 🙂

The post ~Deep Fried Rum balls! first appeared on Oh Bite It.

Well, I’m not going to start by suggesting that this recipe is a great use for leftover egg nog..because let’s face it, who has leftover egg nog??!  However, I am going to suggest that the next time you make some holiday chicken wing appetizers, you skip that typical buttermilk, and exercise a fun, festive and delicious egg nog swap.

That’s right~  I know it might sound crazy, but trust me.  The egg nog adds an incredible and succulent flavor to the wings that ends up being a subtle, yet one of a kind balance of flavors that make them totally AMAZING!  These wings are juicy, tender and will have everyone asking for the “secret ingredient”.

When you bite into one of the wings, the first thing you will notice is a sweet and spicy glaze that happened all on its own in the oven.  The egg nog provides the best self-basting sauce ever…while infusing the chicken with a rich and decadent taste.

~Make LOTS!

What you’ll need:

25 chicken wings

2 cups egg nog

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. all spice

a dash of cayenne pepper.. to taste

Directions:

Stir the seasonings into the egg nog, and soak the defrosted wings in the mixture for at least an hour to overnight if possible, stirring occasionally to evenly coat…

Then place them on a baking sheet and bake them at 400 degrees for approx, 25 minutes, or until they’re golden and cooked through.

Serve warm so they’re nice and sticky!  ~Enjoy!  🙂

The post ~Spiced Egg Nog Glazed Chicken Wings! first appeared on Oh Bite It.