Treat Yourself: 11 Decadent Dishes that Will Turn Around a Bad Day

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Photo credit: Rachael Ray Show Aired August 27, 2015

by Lisa Lozano

So we’re not saying that delicious food is the answer to ALL of life’s problems, but every now and then, it can turn things around. (Everything in moderation, right?) Read on for 11 extraordinary dishes to make when you want to treat yourself!

No. 1: BLT Nachos

Rachael Ray Show

Who says you can’t have nachos for dinner? These nachos feature a fresh pico de gallo salsa, pepper jack cheese, tomatoes, romaine lettuce and sour cream. Oh, and how could we forget – BACON! Yum!

No. 2: Pizza Masters’ Vodka Pizza

Rachael Ray Show

A divine vodka sauce is the base for this delish thin-crust New York-style pizza. Get into your comfy after-work clothes, make this pizza, and kick back!

Tip: If you make the dough yourself, you can take an hour to rest while it rises. However, no one’s going to know if you use an already-prepared store-bought dough. Just sayin’.

No. 3: Big Smacker Daym Drops Burger

Rachael Ray Show

This multi-tiered bacon cheeseburger has it all – it’s a triple decker with two patties, two slices of cheese, three slices of bacon, and a sour cream special sauce. It also got a rave review from the king of online burger reviews – YouTube star Daym Drops!

No. 4: Spicy Chicken and Cheddar Waffle Sandwiches

Rachael Ray Show

Yup, you heard that right. Fried chicken ON a waffle. A cheddar waffle. With bacon. And a maple syrup sauce.

No. 5: Cookies n’ Cream Pancakes

Rachael Ray Show

This is a recipe you can make in a snap! Just add some crushed-up chocolate and crème sandwich cookies to prepared pancake batter – easy peasy! Serve with ice cream and chocolate syrup (this might be best served as a dessert).

No. 6: Buddy Valastro's Homemade Sno Balls Cakes

Rachael Ray Show

Don’t feel like running to the corner store to get a snack? You don’t have to! Cake Boss Buddy Valastro wanted to re-create one of his favorite childhood snacks – the Hostess Sno Ball, and it turned out being a lot simpler than you might think! Make chocolate cupcakes, trim them until they are round-ish, and make a cylindrical hole in the middle. Then Buddy makes a marshmallow frosting and pipes it inside. Lastly, he coats the cupcake with frosting and colored coconut.

No. 7: Big Gay Ice Cream's Salty Pimp Sundae

Rachael Ray Show

This decadent dessert from NYC’s Big Gay Ice Cream elevates a basic hot fudge sundae to a mind-blowingly tasty treat. The dish features “awesomesauce,” a richly layered chocolate sauce with hints of cinnamon, chipotle chili, cayenne and sea salt.

No. 8: Ryan Scott's Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups

Rachael Ray Show

Want a chocolate chip cookie sundae like you might find on a restaurant dessert menu? Ryan Scott has a simple answer – his chocolate chip cookie cups with vanilla ice cream! Ryan Scott bakes chocolate cookies in a muffin tin so that they form little chocolate cookie bowls! Just scoop in some ice cream and enjoy!

Tip: Again, who is really going to know if you use store-bought pre-made cookie dough? You’re treating yourself, so why not?

No. 9: Buffalo Wing Grilled Cheese

Rachael Ray Show

This recipe starts with hot wings. Go ahead, order some for delivery, we’ll wait. Okay, now that your wings have arrived, take the meat off the bones (while retaining the sauce, of course) and pour any extra sauce over the shredded meat. Rach then layers sliced sharp cheddar, a tiny bit of crumbled blue cheese, a sprinkling of scallions, then another couple slices of sharp cheddar on bread. Amazing!!!

No. 10: Carbonara Mac ‘n Cheese Soufflé and Spring Salad

Rachael Ray Show

This rich and multi-layered dish starts with a fairly traditional mac n’ cheese, which becomes carbonara-fied with the addition of tempered egg yolks and pancetta. The inclusion of fluffy beaten eggs whites makes it a soufflé.

No. 11: Grant’s Peanut Butter Pretzel Skillet Brownies

Rachael Ray Show

A brownie with peanut butter and pretzels? It’s a salty-sweet dream! Grant uses a store-bought brownie mix, and simply adds peanut butter and pretzels. What could possibly be easier?

How do you change your mood when you’re having a bad day? Share below.

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