Secret Cupcake Molten Candy Surprise!!

This isn't the most complicated recipe, nor is it the most original, nor the most elegant, but dammit it's good. I've stumbled upon quite a few recipes that follow the same basic pattern. This is very simple, and very easy to mess up, like I did the first time I tried!

What you'll need:

• box of cake mix, whatever flavor you like
• a few bags of bite-size candies, Snickers, Twix, Milky Way, stick with something chocolately, caramelly, nutty, or nougaty
• cupcake cups, dur

Preheat the oven according to the box directions.

Prepare the cake batter as it says on the box. Next scoop about 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons of batter into each cupcake paper or  about 2/3 full. Now unwrap a piece of your candy of choice, and daintily smush it into the center of the cupcake.

These are toffee almond chocolates that I decided to use. The first time I tried this, I used Snickers Bars and I put them in the bottom of the cupcake cup. Bad idea. The caramel fused with the paper and created this weird, really chewy hard bottom. Eh, live and learn.

Bake for as long as the box says to. Of course, let these cool before trying one out. You don't want to me the first person that a molten hot candy core cupcake sent to the hospital, homie.

Love,

Liz

Spicy Artichoke Dip, in other words, CHEEEEEEEEESE

Here's the straight dope, I made this TWICE in one week and finished it all by myself BOTH times. Yes, it will make you covetous. Yes, it will make your lips tingle from the spice of the mighty jalapeno! But you will be fat and you will be happy.

Get it:

• 6 1/2 oz can of marinated artichoke hearts
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese (grated)
• 1 small can diced jalapenos (drained)

Preheat the oven to 350.

Drain the artichokes and jalapenos, and make sure you drain those jalapenos well. That spicy leftover juice can make your dip incredibly spicy. Chop up the artichoke hearts. Combine the artichoke with the mayonnaise, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, and Mozzarella cheese in a large mixing bowl, and mix them up good.

Pour the mixture into an oven safe baking dish and bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese on top in golden brown and scrumptious-looking. Make sure to let the dip cool from boiling lava-hot to warm. You'd be surprised how much spice those jalapenos add on their own.

Feel free to use more or less or the jalapenos depending on your taste buds.

Serve with some nice bread, or pita, or my personal favorite, Santitas $2 Only Tortilla Chips.

Love,

Liz & Santita