I’ve got nothin’ to say.

I know it’s a surprise. haha
Sometimes I can go on and on and talk your ear off with my nonsensical gobbledy gook, but today, I’m at a loss for words.
I guess maybe because nothin’ much has been going on which of course, you could say is a good thing.

There hasn’t been a strange woman trying to get in our front door at 11:30 at night. YIKES!
We haven’t been living in a hotel for 5 days as we’re in between rental moves.
And we aren’t moving to the other side of the country, so it’s all good.

SAVE THESE OREO PUDDING DREAM BARS TO YOUR FAVORITE PINTEREST BOARD!

Here’s the original Pin you might have seen floating around Pinterest.

Having the two pictures above so close together is an eye opener, really.
What a difference a few years can make in your photography skillz!
Wow!

It just goes to show you that you CAN teach yourself new things and that you CAN improve over time.
I’m here to tell you ladies and gentlemen, don’t give up on your dreams!!

How to make these Oreo Pudding Dream Bars –

• Crush some Oreo cookies and mix them with butter to form the cookie crust.
• Place into the freezer to harden. Yes, this is a NO bake dessert!! You’re welcome.
• Cream the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla together.
• Mix the Oreo pudding with only 1 1/2 cups milk, NOT the two cups called for on the pudding box. We want the pudding to be a bit more stable when it sets.
• If you are a Cool Whip hater, you can use this recipe for Stabilized Whipped Cream. It’s got a thicker consistency than plain whipped cream and holds up really well in all of my Dream Bar recipes.

I rate everything on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the best and these Dream Bars earned 3 1/2 rolling pins.
They were really good.
I didn’t even know that this pudding existed until I saw it at the store and then decided to make this wonderful creation.
Although I’m sure it’s been made somewhere on the internet.
Hasn’t everything?

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Oreo Pudding Dream Bars

My Oreo Pudding Dream Bars have an Oreo crust, sweet cream cheese, Oreo pudding, Cool Whip topped with crushed Oreos. The perfect cookies & cream dessert!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Dream Bars, No Bake, Oreo

Prep Time 50 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Refrigeration 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 50 minutes minutes

Servings 9 servings

Calories 251kcal

Author Lynne Feifer

Ingredients

• 1 package Oreo cookies divided
• 4 tablespoons butter 1/2 stick butter, melted
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 8- ounce container Cool Whip divided
• 1 4.2 ounce package instant Oreo pudding mix
• 1 ½ cups milk

Instructions

• In a blender or food processor, finely crush 18 of the cookies.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter and finely crushed cookies until well moistened.
• Press into an ungreased 8 X 8-inch baking dish.
• Place into the freezer for at least 30 minutes to harden.
• In the meantime, mix the package of pudding with the milk in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla together.
• Fold in one cup of the Cool Whip.
• Spread cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust.
• Spread pudding over the cream cheese layer.
• Spread remaining Cool Whip over the pudding layer.
• Refrigerate for at least two hours or place into the freezer for one.
• Eat 4 of the wonderful cookies while you’re waiting. This is a must. haha
• In a plastic bag, break up the 14 remaining cookies. Sprinkle over the top just before serving.

Notes

Be sure to put the larger crumbled cookies on top before serving and not before refrigerating for the two hours. They will soften and nobody likes them soft.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 356mg | Potassium: 102mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 440IU | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 1mg

This post has been updated with new photos and some content. Originally published 5/24/14.

The post Oreo Pudding Dream Bars appeared first on 365 Days of Baking.

Welcome to May!

*This post contains an affiliate link(s). Please see below.
I was given a copy of Jocelyn Brubaker’s cookbook in exchange for a review. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

I know we’re already 10 days into the month, but I seriously cannot believe how fast this year is already going! Before you know it, we’ll be sharing recipes for the holidays! haha
Ok, I’ll stop.

SAVE THIS TO YOUR FAVORITE PINTEREST BOARD!

No, but seriously though.
Sunday is Mother’s Day and that’s a special day for a lot of people. It’s also a hard day for many, so we need to be aware of that. Some may be missing their moms, and others their children. If you are one of those people, please know that you are surrounded by many people who love you. If there’s a woman in your life who might be hurting this weekend, please give them an extra squeeze.

For the very first Mother’s Day in 26 years, I’ll be without any of our kids. That is SO weird to say. I suppose that really makes my husband and I empty-nesters then now, hunh?
As you may know, our oldest, Alex is over in Germany working as an au pair. Emma, our middle lives in Philadelphia where she is a full-time nanny. And Cameron, the youngest is on a 5 1/2 month hike along the Pacific Crest Trail. It’s not like I won’t talk to them that day because we all almost talk daily anyway, but it will just be a bit bizarre to not have them physically here.
Maybe I can get Kurt to serve me breakfast in bed? HA! Fat chance. He always says, “you’re not my mother”.
He’s got a point, but I DID birth your three children.
Whatever.

I hope you and your mom and/or children have the chance to make some wonderful memories this weekend and that the day is spent with the ones you love.

If mom (or your daughter) is a cheesecake lover then a great last minute Mother’s Day gift would be a copy of Jocelyn Brubaker’s new cookbook, Cheesecake Love. Jocelyn is the owner and creator of the food blog, Inside BruCrew Life.
If you aren’t already familiar with her blog and recipes, I HIGHLY suggest you head on over and take a visit. You WILL NOT be sorry! Every single one of her recipes makes me want to lick my monitor.
Seriously. Every one.

Buy Jocelyn’s book, Cheesecake Love HERE on Amazon!

In her book, Jocelyn talks about all things cheesecake, of course. But this isn’t a cookbook filled with just recipes, it’s got so much more!
She recommends the best kitchen tools you’ll need to make every recipe. Her basic baking tips are great because who couldn’t use a wee bit of help making THE perfect cheesecake, hunh? And don’t tell me you’ve had one come out of the oven perfectly every single time. Nah, I ain’t falling for that! LOL
Nice try.

Seriously, this book has it all. There are Full-Size Cheesecakes, Cheesecake Cupcakes, and Cheesecake Bars & Bites. For those of you who want that great cheesecake flavor but might not want to turn the oven on, she’s got that covered, too in the No-Bake Cheesecakes chapter, of course! There are Cheesecake Brownies, Cheesecake Pies and even cheesecake for breakfast! Yup, Jocelyn’s got your cheesecake desires covered.

I had such a difficult time deciding because every single recipe just sounded so delicious and those pictures, I was seriously drooling over them! I’ve got my eyes on those Triple Berry Cheesecake Crepes and I know if Cameron were here he’d make them for me for my Mother’s Day breakfast because he loves to make crepes. Actually, they look so good I think I’m going to make them for myself!
Ultimately, after going very slowly through the entire book I decided on the Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes, and I’m so glad I did. I loved the serving size and the combination of chocolate and cookies and cream was really just screaming my name. Oh, and of course they were delicious!

How to Make these Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes

• Place a large rimmed baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven. Fill halfway with water. The water bath will add moisture to the oven which allows for even baking and can prevent the cheesecakes from cracking.
• You’ll get a smoother consistency in any cheesecake if your ingredients are all at room temperature. That means your cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs. It is best to leave them out overnight, but things can be left on your kitchen counter for a minimum of two hours.
• Cool the cheesecakes on a wire rack for about an hour before chilling them completely in the refrigerator. You definitely don’t want the Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes warm when you add that delicious mousse on top. It won’t be pretty.

I’m absolutely loving all of the recipes in Jocelyn’s cookbook and I’m not even a cheesecake lover. I’ll eat it, but Kurt is the real cheesecake lover in the family. I’ll definitely be making him one for Father’s Day (even though he’s not my father. HA!).

Jocelyn’s packed this cookbook with a whole lot of delicious recipes besides the Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes.
I know it’s probably WAAAAYYYY too early to start thinking about Thanksgiving, but this Apple Cheesecake Pie is going to be so wonderful on our dessert table this year. It looks so good that I could go for a slice right now.
If you’re a chocolate lover or know one, then this Triple Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake recipe has your name all over it. This will satisfy any chocolate craving for sure!

Besides your standard cheesecakes, she’s got other desserts that include cheesecake as well.
If you prefer bar desserts, Aimee from Shugary Sweets made Jocelyn’s Monster Cookie Cheesecake Bars. These will be great with a big glass of cold milk.
These Turtle Cheesecake Cookie Bars seriously have me drooling. I’m absolutely in love with the caramel, chocolate and cheesecake combination. Top it off with those pecans and I’m good to go!

Here on the 365 Days of Baking and More blog, these Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Bars have been quite popular. They’re easy to make, too. Oh, and drizzling them with the white AND semi-sweet chocolate is a MUST!
Ok, not really, but it certainly does kick them up a notch.

If you like lime and sweet dips for dessert then you’ll love this Lime Cheesecake Dip. It was fun to serve for the Superbowl last year, but you can make it any time of year and make the sugar cookies into any shapes you’d like. It will be perfect for next year’s Cinco de Mayo, too! Be sure to pin it so you’ll have it!

One of THE most popular desserts here on the blog that you shouldn’t miss is my Strawberry Cheesecake Dream Bars recipe. It’s a great no-bake dessert and everyone who’s made it love it. Also, if you have trouble finding
Strawberry Creme Instant Pudding you can always use a plain vanilla or even the white chocolate would be delicious.

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Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes

Combine your love of chocolate, cookies and cream, and cheesecake into these delicious single serve desserts. Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes are an easy treat from Jocelyn Brubaker's, creator of the blog, Inside BruCrew Life, new cookbook. This is one book that needs to be in every cheesecake lover's kitchen!

Course Dessert

Keyword Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 4 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 52 minutes minutes

Servings 20 mini cheesecakes

Calories 184kcal

Author Lynne Feifer

Ingredients

Crust

• 8 Oreo cookies with filling
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Cheesecake

• 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 ounces bittersweet baking chocolate melted
• 2 large eggs

Mousse

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese room temperature
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 8-ounce container Cool Whip thawed
• 7 Oreo cookies with filling
• 20 mini Oreo cookies with filling

Instructions

• Place a large rimmed baking sheet onto the bottom rack of the oven. Fill halfway with water
  Preheat the oven to 350° F. and line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Line 8 wells of a second cupcake pan with paper liners as well. 

Crust

• Place the Oreo cookies into a food processor and pulse until they become fine crumbs.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the butter and the cookie crumbs. Evenly distribute the crumb mixture into the cupcake liners. Press the crumbs down firmly.

Cheesecake

• In a mixer, beat the cream cheese until creamy. Scrape down the sides and add the sugar. Beat again until smooth.
• Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat again until well incorporated.
• Pour in the melted chocolate and mix thoroughly.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Fully incorporate the eggs and be sure to not overbeat the batter.
• Evenly distribute the batter over the cookie crusts. Place the cupcake pans on the oven right directly above the tray full of water. 
  Bake for 20 to 22 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack. Cool the cheesecakes in the pan for 10 minutes.
• Gently remove the cheesecakes from the pan and place them on the wire rack. Cool for 1 hour and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until completely chilled.

Mousse

• Beat the cream cheese until creamy. Scrape down the sides and add the sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
• In a food processor, pulse the 7 regular size Oreos until they are crumbs.
• With a rubber spatula, gently fold the Cool Whip into the cream cheese mixture. Then gently stir in the cookie crumbs.
• Using a piping bag and a 1M icing tip, swirl the mousse onto the top of the cheesecakes. Top each one with a mini Oreo cookie.

Nutrition

Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 107mg | Potassium: 88mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 85IU | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 2.3mg

*We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
These are links that can take you to a product (or products) that I recommend. I do receive a portion of the sales or credit for my future purchases from any items purchased through those links. Your purchases encourage my baking, cooking and butter habit, and contribute to the life of this blog. I thank you so very much for your support. Let’s keep having fun in the kitchen!!

The post Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes appeared first on 365 Days of Baking.

Oh, and there are plenty of napkins here if you feel you’re drooling a little. 😉

These are just a few of the recipes I contributed…

Vanilla Malt Dark Hot Chocolate – I’m really not one for drinking hot chocolate. As a matter of fact, I have a serious aversion to having been traumatized with it in childhood. No, seriously.
Believe it or not though, I drank this. And liked it. I think you will, too.

Winter smoothie – the cold and sometimes frigid weather is here in a good part of the country, not to mention that there’s been at least 80 feet of snow or something like that in the northeast. I’m sorry.
So, to build your immunity and help fight off colds and flu, you need to be kind to your body, filling it with healthy foods, vitamins and minerals and feed it breakfast. This smoothie made with frozen fruit, kale and chia seeds are a great start to any day and will help fill that hungry tummy.

Chicken Quinoa Casserole – a great combination of chicken, broccoli and quinoa, this casserole will make a great weeknight dinner as it’s easy to put together, not to mention delicious!

Homemade Chocolate Graham Crackers  – have you made your own graham crackers? Surprisingly, it’s easier than I thought it would be and they’re so delicious, too! The chocolate give them a great flavor and they’re the perfect after-school snack with some peanut butter on top.

Homemade Fruit Leather – when it’s homemade, it’s so much better for you and your kids than what you buy in the store. You know the ingredients that are going into it which will give you peace of mind.

Maple Sweet Potato Casserole – it may not be Thanksgiving, but that doesn’t mean you still can’t enjoy one of your favorite side dishes all year long. This sweet potato casserole is so good you’ll be going back for seconds. Enjoy!

Winter Fudge Dessert for Game Day Party Sweets – who can resist a piece or two of fudge? This Peppermint Cookies and Cream Fudge is perfect for Game Day or as a holiday treat, but I give you permission to eat it any time of year as it will be hard not to. It will also be perfect for Valentine’s Day!

Slow Cooker Chili with Jalapeño Cornbread – cold temps. bring the need for some comfort food and chili is always a good way to warm you up on the inside! It’s even better when it’s made in the slow cooker and you don’t have to stand over the stove. It’s made even better when accompanied by the Jalapeño Cornbread. Throw the chili ingredients in the pot and fuggedaboudit. 😉

Turkey Tetrazzini – everyone’s always looking for dishes to make with leftover Thanksgiving turkey, and this one fits the bill! But you don’t have to wait for Thanksgiving to make it, buy some ground turkey in the store, cook it up in the skillet and BOOM, Turkey Tetrazzini all year long!

Witch’s Fingers as creepy looking as these appetizers are, there also fun to eat. The kids get such a kick out of them and they’re tasty, too. Put these on your to-do list for next Halloween!

Halloween Pumpkin Cupcakes – spiders are so Halloweeny, but these little guys sit so nicely on top of the pumpkin cupcakes and won’t be crawling all over your party. Kids and adults will enjoy the cute creepiness of these treats.

Milky Way Cheesecake Pie – one of my favorite recipes that I made for Mom It Forward, this pie was incredibly delicious and the family loved it. I found it in Lori Lange’s cookbook, The Recipe Girl Cookbook: Dishing Out the Best Recipes for Entertaining and Every DayThe Recipe Girl Cookbook: Dishing Out the Best Recipes for Entertaining and Every Day. You may just need to go back for seconds.

While you’re visiting Mom It Forward, be sure to check out the other recipes, parenting tips, and family projects that other bloggers have shared. You can also share the love by pinning, tweeting or sharing on Facebook! Thanks!

I give you BIG baking hugs and muffins!!

The post Mom It Forward Recipes Round-Up appeared first on 365 Days of Baking.