Pushing the boundaries of food experimentation

I am a foodie. I'll admit it. I've got the butt and curves to go with what being a foodaholic entails. But you know what? I'm a happy foodie. It's a passion, discovering new and wonderful ways of mixing different ingredients to find the perfect flavor explosion on your taste buds.

It's like science, really. You have to keep testing and experimenting until you find that one thing that makes perfect sense.

On Sunday my girlfriend Cheryl and I went to an event here in down town Scranton, PA called the Chocoholic Frolic. It was a chocolate lovers dream. You pay a $25.00 cover charge and enter a magical Alice in Wonderland type world where every table is covered in chocolate delites... ALL. FOR. FREE.

*SAY WHAT!*

Yes, I said that correctly. All for free. It was Heaven! Our very first chocolate sampling was of this delicious and delicate chocolate truffle. These orbs of chocolate goodness were comprised of simple yet enticing ingredients. And what is more astounding is - I think I've been able to create my own version of them to savor the memory at home.

What you will need:

1 package oreos
1 cup chocolate butter cream frosting
2 tablespoons nutella hazelnut spread
1/4 cup finely chopped hazlenuts

With your package of oreo cookies - twist the tops off. Put the cookie with the cream in one bowl, while placing the other bare cookie half inside a bag. Do this with all the cookies. Once all cookies have been twisted, take a rolling pin and smash the bag of bare cookie halfs into fine bits. Place these bits into a small bowl with the 1/4 cup hazelnuts and toss together. This will be the coating you roll your truffles in.

With the remaining cookies & cream, small these with a potato masher or you can do the bag and rolling pin routine with these as well. Once these are well crushed, add in the 1 cup chocolate butter cream frosting, and nutella. Blend with a hand mixer until it forms a soft dough ball.

Place dough ball in the refigerator for 30minutes - 1 hour to chill. With a melon baller, scoop out little truffle balls and roll into the cookie and hazelnut mixture.

These truffles are simply devine! The texture is slightly crunchy with that creamy smoothness of frosting. Go on, make these tonight! Your taste buds will thank you. :)