Dark Chocolate Mint Truffles for St. Patrick's Day! #CatholicCentral #SaintPatricksDayTraditions

Disclosure: I was provided with a gift pack from Catholic Central to help facilitate this post. All opinions stated here are my own. 



Last summer we were able to take our girls to their motherland, Ireland. We spent 5 days castle hopping, sheep chasing, and chowing down on amazing traditional grub. Even for someone like me who is not of Irish descent, it was truly an incredible experience immersing myself into the Irish way of life. Just spotting that beautiful patchwork landscape from the plane, I knew we were in for a real treat.

We have always had a love of St. Patrick's Day, but this year it's a little more special since we now have an even better understanding of Ireland and St. Patrick. March is the time to celebrate St. Patrick, who is the patron saint who helped introduce Ireland to Christianity. Aside from all of the castles you'll find tucked into the Irish countryside, there are also a plethora of charming little churches to admire as well. So, I think, we have St. Patrick to thank for those.

This year, we are celebrating St. Patrick's Day by looking back through our Ireland travel photos. We also like to have a sweet treat to munch on because I took A LOT of pictures (you can see some of them on my Instagram) and while I thought about making a green dessert, I decided to go with mint instead. These Dark Chocolate Mint Truffles are a rich and indulgent treat, which would also describe your trip to Ireland.

If you want to make them green to keep it more in line with St. Patrick's Day, omit the dark chocolate and coat the truffles with Wilton green candy melts.

Yield: About 20 Truffles Author: Theresa M

 

Dark Chocolate Mint Truffles

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 30 mint cookies (I use store brand thin mints)
• 3/4 cup York mini peppermint patties
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped chocolate mint candies (I used Andes)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.
2. Place the cookies and peppermint patties in a food processor and pulse until pea-sized crumbs form. Add in the softened cream cheese and pulse until combined.
3. Scoop out about a tablespoon size amount of dough and roll into a 1 inch ball. Place the dough balls in the freezer while you prepare the chocolate coating.
4. Chop the chocolate mint candies into fine pieces. Set aside.
5. Over low heat, melt the chocolate and coconut oil until you have a smooth consistency. Coat the truffle balls with the melted chocolate, sprinkle each with a pinch of the chopped chocolate mint candies, then place in the fridge until the chocolate is set. 
6. Serve immediately, or store in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

https://www.theresasmixednuts.com/2019/03/dark-chocolate-mint-truffles-for-st.html

  
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In the spirit of the season, Catholic Central wants to share the attached embeddable “5 Ways to Have a Shamrockin’ St. Patrick’s Day” downloadable PDF with you. It contains some fun ways you can celebrate the Shamrockin-est holiday of all! 

 

More about Catholic Central:

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Let me know in the comments below how you're celebrating St. Patrick's Day this year! Then, enter to win a Saint Patrick's Day FeastKit! Which includes: 1- Bamboo Cheese Board with slide out drawer 4 - Stainless steel cutting and serving knife to help you get your St. Patrick's Day feast on!

 

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Mariah had her 19th birthday on Saturday. We stopped doing the store bought cakes a few years back, which kind of sucks because with graduation happening this time of year, there's always a deal on sheet cakes at the bakery. On the other hand, we aren't huge fans of cake here and usually end up throwing out quite a bit of the leftovers after a few days, so it's not really a deal if you end up throwing most of it away, is it? The girls now take after their mama when it comes to birthday cake. I have always insisted on having a cheesecake for mine, and now they are doing the same. The only thing is, Jason gets off the hook by buying mine from the store, whereas the girls want a homemade one. Mariah initially wanted me to make her my dulce de leche pie, but since we just had that on Cinco de Mayo, she changed her mind and asked for a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake.

I was a little worried that this cheesecake wasn't going to go over well since we usually stick with plain cheesecake, not a chocolate variety. I even gave her the option to change her mind a few times, but she insisted it would be fine. I'm glad she did, too, because it turned out really good.

I'll admit, this was not my favorite cheesecake to make, simply because the recipe called for the cookie dough portion to be rolled into little balls, then mixed into the batter. It was a bit too tedious for my liking, and my dough balls turned out a little larger than I would have liked which make it a bit hard to bite through. The next time I make this, I will layer the cookie dough on top of the crust instead (and will reflect those changed in the recipe below) to make the process go a lot faster.

This cheesecake is very rich, so a small slice will go a long way in satisfying your sweet tooth!

Author: Original Recipe Adapted from "No Bake Treats"

 

No Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS:

Cookie Dough

• 1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Crust

• (1) 13oz package chocolate chip cookies (I used Chips Ahoy)
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• 5oz dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream, divided
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• (2) 8oz bricks full fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup hot fudge sauce

Topping

• 1 tub store bought chocolate frosting

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Make the cookie dough: In a medium sized bow, mix the softened butter with the sugar and brown sugar, beating until it's light and fluffy. Add in the salt, flour, and vanilla extract and mix until a soft dough forms. Mix in the mini chocolate chips, then set aside.
2. Make the crust: Spray a 9 inch springform pan with a light layer of cooking spray, then gently wipe over it with a paper towel. Using a blender or food processor, grind the cookies into fine crumbs. In a large bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, brown sugar, and flour. Pour in the melted butter, and stir until the mixture is just moistened. Pour the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared springform pan, pressing it firmly onto the bottom of the pan and up the sides to create a thick crust.
3. Make the filling: Place the chocolate chips and 2 tbsp of heavy whipping cream in a microwave save bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments until chocolate is melted. Stir mixture until smooth. Set aside. 
4. Place a metal mixing bowl and beaters in the freeze for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from freezer, then pour the remaining 1 cup of heavy whipping cream into the chilled bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the whipping cream with your chilled beaters on medium-high speed until it becomes bubbly. Gradually add in the powdered sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
5. In a medium sized bowl, beat the softened cream cheese on medium speed until it is light and fluffy (2 to 3 minutes). Beat in the granulated sugar until it is well mixed. Pour the dark chocolate mixture into the cream cheese mixture and beat until it's well incorporated. Last, add in the cocoa powder and hot fudge topping, mixing until the batter is completely smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
6. Using a wood spoon or rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream mixture into the cheesecake mixture, turning over and over until well combined. 
7. Press 3/4 of the cookie dough mixture over the prepared crust layer. 
8. Pour the cheesecake batter over the cookie dough layer, then run a spatula over the top to smooth out. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. (I actually placed mine in the freezer because we like a stiff cheesecake)
9. Spread the store bought icing over the top of the cheesecake, or pipe on rosettes on the outer edges of the cheesecake. Sprinkle the remaining cookie dough crumbles over the top. Cut into thin slices. Serve.

What's your favorite cheesecake flavor?

All You Need Is Love... And Chocolate

*Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.


I've completely slacked off on my Valentine's Day goodies this year since Jason is still dieting. Last week's chocolate cake nearly threw him over the edge since it really tested his will to just say no. We've finally narrowed down our summer vacation travel destination, heading across the pond to the city of love, Paris, and he'd like to shed a few more pounds before then so he can enjoy the French cuisine without having any guilt about it. As much as I want to be the supportive wife, I do think you have to have a little something sweet for Valentine's Day. Cookies are much smaller than cake and it's pretty easy to just eat one small one and feel satisfied, so I thought what they heck, let's find a good recipe and whip up a small batch. So, I dug around on Golden Blossom Honey earlier this week and made a batch of these Double Chocolate Walnut Dream Cookies. 

First of all, how can you go wrong with double chocolate? You just can't. Second, give it a little more sweetness with a dip in powdered sugar. Third, top it with a yummy walnut and this is one hella good cookie. You roll them into 1 inch balls so they aren't terribly big, but they have an awesome punch of flavor in a little package. Perfect for my hubs to have a sweet treat to celebrate Valentine's Day and not have a mental breakdown from the extra calories. One cookie is plenty enough to get your sweet tooth fix. But, I'm not dieting, so I'll have two. Or three. Or however many I feel like having because I'm an adult and nobody can stop me from having all the cookies I want ;)

Ingredients

2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1/3 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
4 large egg whites
1 cup walnut pieces
non-stick cooking spray

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey!

Will you be indulging in any chocolate treats for Valentine's Day?

 

Have A Cherry On Top Kind of Day!

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.


At the beginning of every summer, Jason gets something in his system where he thinks he needs to start a yard project. A few years back I opened the door to a delivery of a driveway filled with about a billion bricks and twice as many rocks for a project he neglected to tell me he was starting. Needless to say, I was not thrilled with the extra yard work I had to do that summer. This year he thought he'd dig up some old, overgrown bushes and expand the garden, which is a project that I am ok with since gardening is something that I have grown to love these past few years. 

On Mother's Day weekend we went to the local nursery and bought a few blueberry and blackberry bushes as well as a cherry tree and ever since I have been dreaming of all the recipes I'll be able to make once my bushes start fruiting. We do a lot of baking with cherries here, so to get the ideas churning on some of the things I can make once my tree is finally in bloom, I scoured Golden Blossom Honey's recipes and found this Chocolate Cherry Bread recipe that I couldn't wait to try.  

If you aren't a huge cherry fan, what's nice about this recipe is you could really use any kind of dried fruit and it would still taste amazing! I didn't buy overly dried out cherries, but bought the dried cherries from Costco that are still a tad bit juicy and really sweet. I think those cherries really made each bite all that much more sweet. Drizzle the top with your favorite icing recipe then garnish with a few cherries for an eye pleasing dessert. 

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried cherries
1 tablespoon strongly brewed coffee
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey!

What kind of fruits would you like to grow in your garden?

 

Chocolate Pecan Coffee Cake

*Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

I think most women want to hear, "I missed you. I was thinking about you today!" from their man at the end of a long day. Unfortunately for me, I'm not one of those women who are on the receiving end of such affection. Instead, Jason comes stomping through the living room carrying a huge chunk of Chocolate Pecan Coffee Cake, lovingly looking at it like it's the best thing in the world, while saying, "I've been thinking about THIS all day long." W.T.F? I come in second to sweets! He's lucky that I kind of like him or there would probably be hell to pay for having such a thick skull. And, I let it slide because I agree with him. The cake is think about it all day kind of good. If you want to score extra brownie points with the sweetie, serve up some chocolate pecan coffee cake on Valentine's Day. 

Warm out of the oven with a cold glass of milk = pure bliss.  

Ingredients

Cake:
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
3 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Topping
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons butter, chilled
1/3 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend! Happy Valentine's Day!! ♥

Make A Simple & Delicious Brownie Torte This Valentine's Day

*Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.  

I have been doing really well with my fitness goals this year, sticking with healthy food and snack choices. But, Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and even though Jason and I don't really celebrate the holiday, I have decided I will be treating myself to a little cheat dessert that day. I fully plan on indulging in some chocolate, and this delicious Brownie Torte from Golden Blossom Honey will be on the menu for Valentine's Day in the Mahoney household this year. 

A yummy chocolate torte filled with walnuts and chocolate chips is rich, decadent, and is a chocolate lovers dream! 

Ingredients

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 1/2 Tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 egg
1/4 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE 

 You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey!

Are you serving any sweet treats for Valentine's Day this year?