Pumpkin Pie Bites

I made these tonight for a family to say 'thank you' but they almost didn't make it there, 'thank you' very much! They are delicious, the best part about a pumpkin pie is the crust, and there is such a good crust to filling ratio. Magnificent!



Pumpkin Pie Bites
2 refrigerated ready-to roll pie crusts
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter
Optional
1/2 cup chocolate morsels
vegetable oil
re-sealable plastic bags
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Use cookie cutter to cut 12 pumpkin shapes from each pie crust. You will need to roll the dough thinner than it comes out of the box.
Press dough shapes into a 24 cup mini muffin tray. (Make 12 at a time, alternating cups to make sure pie crusts don’t overlap each other.)
Apply egg whites from one egg to the top edges of each pie.
Mix cream cheese, sugar, canned pumpkin, remaining 2 eggs, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice together until thoroughly combined.
Spoon mixture into each pumpkin-shaped pie crust.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Remove pies to cool and repeat with second pie crust. Place the muffin tray in the freezer to cool it quickly for re-use.
Makes 24 pies. Keep refrigerated.
To decorate, melt chocolate in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave on medium. Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between until melted. Add a little vegetable oil to make the chocolate more fluid. Transfer to a re-sealable plastic bag and cut the corner off. Drizzle or draw faces on pies.
Note: The cutter I used was 3 3/4 inches wide, but if you don’t have one, don’t worry. Just use a round cutter around that size or slightly smaller to cut circle shapes out of the dough. Then make stems with the scraps. Press each stem over the edge and down the side of the dough before filling.


The dough cut out with the pumpkin cookie cutter



shove those little pumpkins into a miny cupcake tin :-)

Recipe from the one and only bakerella

IHOP French toast with Coconut syrup

I wasn't really expecting much when we made these tonight, but LET ME TELL YOU... The cocunut syrup, TO DIE FOR! This recipe will change the way you feel about breakfast. believe me. :-)


IHOP French Toast

2 eggs
½ c. milk
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
3 T. flour
6 slices of thick sliced French bread

First beat eggs, then add remaining ingredients with electric mixer. Dip both sides of bread and place in hot buttered pan. Flip over when browned. Serve with Coconut Syrup.

Coconut Syrup

7-8 T. butter
¾ c. buttermilk
1 c. sugar
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp coconut extract

Place butter, buttermilk and sugar in a pot. Then turn stove on medium and stir until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and boil one minute. Remove from heat and add soda and flavoring. It will bubble up; just continue to stir and give it a few minutes for the 'fizz' to reduce before serving.

Recipe from Sisters cafe

Pineapple Pork Tacos

Keagan by far in our house is the pickiest eater, and let me just say... she had TWO. Yes folks, that's right... TWO!




Pineapple Pork Tacos
Estimated Cost: $5.00 for four servings
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, juice reserved
1/2 cup sour cream (If you use light, stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
juice of one fat lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 lb. pork chops, about 3/4 inch thick
1 (6 ounce) bag coleslaw mix
1/3 cup sliced radishes
12 corn tortillas
1 tablespoon butter
Preheat grill for medium hot cooking. In a medium bowl, combine the JUICE of the pineapple, sour cream, chili powder, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove 1/4 cup of mixture and rub all over pork chops. Let stand for five minutes. Grill pork chops, about 4-5 minutes per side until only slightly pink in center. Let rest for five minutes, and slice into strips. Meanwhile, combine crushed pineapple with slaw and radishes and reserved sour cream mixture. (Grill tortillas about 1 minute per side and brush with butter and wrap tightly in tinfoil.) Assemble tacos with tortillas, slaw, and pork chops.

yes, this is Barb's version of grilling... too whimpy to light the outside BBQ



Grilling the tortillas. Yum.

This recipe came from Prudence Pennywise. Bless her heart!

Herb Cheese Pizza

You will LOVE this recipe!!!


The finished product...yum!



The dough before the toppings



With the toppings...before baking


another little helper!

This was the YUMMIEST pizza we have ever made. The dough was perfect, soft on the inside with a nice crunchy crust. Because I am new at this, I don't know if I should type a recipe from an actual magazine, so... go HERE for the recipe. There. That makes it easier.

Hope you enjoy!

This recipe is from Cooking light (obviously)

Chicken with Spicy Peanut Sauce

(I know right, Popstickers again... we just love them!)


Chicken with Spicy Peanut Sauce

1 lb chicken breasts
1 green onion, cut into several pieces
1 piece of ginger, cut into several pieces
1 Tb cooking sherry
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
a little water
Cook above ingredients together in shallow pan, covered, over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Allow chicken to cool slightly, cut into strips. Make sauce while chicken is cooking.


Spicy Peanut Sauce:
1 Tb peanut butter
2 1/2 Tb canola oil
3 1/2 Tb soy sauce
2 T sugar
2 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tb green onion, minced
2 Tb cilantro, chopped
Whisk sauce ingredients together without cooking. Serve over chicken and steamed Jasmine rice.

Recipe from Sisters Cafe

White Chocolate Cinnamon Toast Crunchers

I was a little sceptical of making cookies with cereal, but they weren't 1/2 bad. The cereal was a little chewy, but I think it's because I stirred them too much. I would also crush them more than what it says. Good luck!



My little helper (cute!)


White Chocolate Cinnamon Toast Crunchers
2 sticks softened butter
1 Cup packed brown sugar
3/4 Cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon real vanilla extract
2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 Cup Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal, slightly crushed up
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bag white chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the eggs and vanilla until well combined. In a large bowl combine the flour, Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal, baking powder and salt. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with the white chips until just combined. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough and place onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 9-12 minutes or until edges just start to turn golden brown.
2. Let cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Enjoy with a tall glass of milk!

Chicken Alfredo

My husband HATES chicken Alfredo, so I have to sneak it in with his favorite pasta (from Safeway) he eats it EVERY time, so my sneaky-ness must be working :-)


{In this picture is the chicken, Herb foccacia (recipe in the next post) and store bought stuffed pasta, I usually make this chicken with fettuccine, but decided to mix it up, and it was YUMMY!}
Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless butterflied
2 tsp butter
salt and pepper
flour
1 pt whipping cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Take the chicken breast and salt and pepper lightly, roll in flour and saute in butter. Place in baking dish in a single layer and pour over enough whipping cream to cover. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese

Bake 450 for 15-20 minutes

**You can add mushrooms, and I usually cook fettuccine pasta to go with it**

This recipe is from my friend Jamie S. kitchen. Thanks!

Herb Foccacia

I wanted to try a new bread recipe, I found this one and it didn't disappoint! My family loved it, even the kids.


Herb Foccacia

2 packages active dry yeast (or 2 Tb)
1/4 tsp sugar
1 c warm water
3 c flour
1/4 c finely chopped onion
1/4 c chopped olives
3 Tb olive or canola oil
1 tsp salt
Herb Glaze
1 egg, beaten
1 Tb chopped fresh or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary or basil
1 Tb chopped fresh or 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Mix yeast, sugar and water in small bowl; let stand for 5 minutes. Blend remaining ingredients except herb glaze in large bowl; stir in yeast mixture to form a soft dough. Knead for 5 minutes (I use my Kitchen Aid with dough hook) until smooth and elastic. Place dough in greased bowl; cover and let rise in warm place 1 hour. Grease baking sheet. Punch dough down and divide evenly into 6 pieces. Shape each piece into 5-inch circle; place on baking sheet. Cover and let rise 20 minutes. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush tops of each bread with herb glaze and sprinkle lightly with Kosher salt. Bake 15-18 minutes until golden brown.

This recipe is from Sisters Cafe

Shortbread cookies

I grew up with my Mom making these yummies. I actually like them MUCH MORE now then I did back then.

Ingredients:

1 pound (4 sticks) butter

1 cup sugar

4 cups flour

2 tsp salt (2 1/2 tsp if using unsalted butter)

Cream 1 pound butter with 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Stir or sift together 4 cups flour and salt. Blend into butter mixture just until combined, don't overmix.

Press dough into rimmed cookie sheet, moistening fingers with cold water if you find it too sticky. Bake for 30 minutes, and immediately after pulling from oven, shake a hearty amount of granulated sugar over the entire surface. Cut into squares or whatever you would like.

WARNING: This makes a WHOLE cookie sheet full, so there will be plenty around the house (i.e breakfast, lunch and dinner)

This recipe is from my Mom's Kitchen and she I believe got it from a newspaper clip when living in New York.

Pigs

My kids (including my husband) LOVE these. me, not so much.. but hey the things Mom's do for the family.




Dough:

1 cup 2 Tbs milk
2 Tbs butter
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 cups flour
1 1/2 Tbs sugar

heat milk and butter until warm, combine with yeast, add sugar, salt and flour, let sit for 30 min. break off into balls and stretch around "pigs"



Bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until golden brown

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I feed the missionaries last night, so I doubled this recipe and made sticky rice, needless to say they went back for seconds. This recipe is so fast and easy!


{The potstickers and spring rolls I bought in the frozen section of the Grocery store, not homemade, but yummy!}

1 1/2 lb chicken, cut into bite size pieces
1 medium onion. chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 large can chunk pineapple, reserve juice
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

Add to pineapple Juice:

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
2 T. cornstarch
2 1/2 T soy sauce

Heat pan on high heat, add 1 tbsp oil and saute chicken. Add pineapple juice mixture and stir until thickened. Add pineapple, onion, bell pepper and celery. Cook 2-3 minutes. Serve over rice

Recipe from Leisa Plocher's kitchen (thanks!)

The BEST steak sandwhich

This has to be the BEST steak sandwhich David and I have ever had. Try this, try this, try this. I totally made up for the REALLY bad homemade mac and cheese that we had the night before!!



Ingredients
• 1 (12-ounce) 1-inch thick New York strip boneless beef top loin steak
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil
• 2 yellow onions, sliced in rings
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 recipe Mustard Mayo, recipe follows
• 2 mini focaccia buns, sliced in 1/2
• 1/2 cup baby arugula
Directions
Season the steak liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium saute pan over high heat until it's almost smoking, then sear the steak on each side for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low and cook the steak for about 7 to 10 minutes, turning once, until very rare in the middle. Remove to a plate, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Slice the steak into strips.
Using the same saute pan, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and thyme and saute for 10 minutes, until the onions are brown and caramelized, stirring occasionally.
To assemble the sandwiches, spread a tablespoon of Mustard Mayo on the bottom half of each bun. Place a layer the steak strips on top of the mayo, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and top with the caramelized onion rings. Place the baby arugula on top of the onion rings, and cover the sandwiches with the top half of the buns.
Mustard Mayo:
• 3/4 cup good mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl. Serve at room temperature.
Yield: 1 cup

The recipe is from the almighty Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garden) Bless her heart and her recipes.

Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:

1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp cream of tarter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Cream together shortening and sugar, add eggs. In separate bowl sift together flour, cream of tarter, salt and baking soda.

Roll in Cinnamon sugar

place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes at 350F.

Recipe is from my Mom (ahhhhh)

Egg/Potato Salad

You can up this recipe to feed 50, or just make it as is to feed a family of 4 as a side dish.

6 potatoes, peeled and diced
6 eggs
mustard
Mayo
Chives

You boil the 6 eggs for 10 minutes, remove from water and add to ice water to cool. Throw the potatoes in the same pot of boiling water for 10 minutes as well. Once cooked drain and put into bowl, peel eggs and chop and add to bowl. I would try a 1/4 cup of mayo and quirts of mustard, add more until the consistancy you want (I like mine really wet) then add chopped chives.

This recipe came from my sister-in-law Cami Dean

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup (Chili's)
(I usually use 2/3 of the spices this calls for because it is a bit spicy)

3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
2 small onions, diced
1/4 cup oil
2 tablespoons chicken base
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup masa harina (dry)—in flour aisle
8 cups water
1 cup crushed tomatoes
8-12 oz. Velveeta cheese
Garnish with tortilla chips, avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream....

In a large pot, place oil, chicken base, onion, cumin, chili and garlic powder and cayenne pepper.
Sauté until onions are soft and translucent, about five minutes. In a bowl, combine masa harina with four cups water. Stir well until all lumps are dissolved. Add to onion mixture and bring to a boil. Stir constantly 2-3 minutes to eliminate raw taste from the masa. Add 4 cups water (or a bit more) and 1 cup tomatoes. Boil, stirring occasionally. Add cheese stirring constantly until completely melted. Add chicken and cook until heated through.

**I usually top the soup with avacado, sour cream, and cheese**

This recipe is from my friend Jamie Morriss

Mint Chocolate frosted Brownies (I know right!)

MINT CHOCOLATE FROSTED BROWNIES

BROWNIE:
5 (1 oz.) sq. unsweetened chocolate

3/4 c. butter
1 tbsp. vanilla

2 1/4 c. sugar

4 eggs

1 1/3 c. flour

1 1/2 c. chopped walnuts
Melt butter and chocolate together. Beat eggs until fluffy. Add sugar gradually beating well. Stir in chocolate, then vanilla. Beat thoroughly. Stir in flour, then nuts. Bake in greased jelly roll pan (15x10 inch) at 375 for 25-35 minutes. Cool completely before adding other layers.

MINT LAYER:
4 c. powdered sugar

1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

1/4 c. butter, softened

3 tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. peppermint extract

4 drops green food coloring
Combine all ingredients and spread over cooled brownies in pan.

FROSTING:
1 (6 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate morsels

3 tbsp. butter

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring constantly. Spread over mint layer. Refrigerate.
In a hurry? Use fudge brownie mix and add the mint and frosting layers.

Oh yes, these babies are delicious!

Recipe is from my friend Jeanette's kitchen.

German Pancake

Here's the recipe:

1 cube butter

5 large eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tsp almond extract

spinkle of Powder sugar

lemon juice

In 9x13 pan place 1 cube of butter. Turn the oven on to 475 and place pan into oven. Keep an eye on the butter, you don't want it to burn, just melt.While that is melting pull out your blender.blend together 5 eggs, once eggs turn to a pale yellow add 1 1/2 cups milk and flour, blend well. Then I add a tsp of Almond extract.Once butter is melted, pour egg batter into melted butter. Bake for 12 minutes. When it's done, cut it up and sprinkle powder sugar and lemon juice over the top. Yumm-O!

Recipe is from my Mom's kitchen, which I think she had these for breakfast at a little hotel in germany? Not quite sure.

Crunchy Apple Dip

{I love this recipe! I had it for the first time up at girls camp, where my friend Tana and I were the cooks, it was a blast! We served this snack to the girls in the afternoon, and they LOVED it}

8-12 apples
8 oz cream cheese
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup 'heath' topping (you can buy the crunched up candy bars in a bag in the baking isle)

mix together everything and eat. Pretty dang easy.

Recipe from Carrie Kent's kitchen.

Deliciously Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits

This biscuits live up to their name! They were delicious! I made them with the mac and cheese... so if you read the mac and cheese recipe you know we just ate these biscuits for dinner (the Mac and cheese was disgusting)

Before the baking. I just cut them into squares instead of using a round cutter.


Right out of the oven, YUM-O!

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour (9 ounces)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup fat-free buttermilk
3 tablespoons honey

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Chill 10 minutes.
3. Combine buttermilk and honey, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moist.
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 4 times. Roll dough into a (1/2-inch-thick) 9 x 5–inch rectangle; dust top of dough with flour. Fold dough crosswise into thirds (as if folding a piece of paper to fit into an envelope). Reroll dough into a (1/2-inch-thick) 9 x 5–inch rectangle; dust top of dough with flour. Fold dough crosswise into thirds; gently roll or pat to a 3/4-inch thickness. Cut dough with a 1 3/4-inch biscuit cutter to form 14 dough rounds. Place dough rounds, 1 inch apart, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400° for 12 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan; cool 2 minutes on wire racks. Serve warm

Recipe is from "the sisters cafe"

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Homemade Mac and Cheese. I tell ya, I am not sure why I decided to make this, for those of you who know me, know that I am not a big fan of cheese. So I took a gamble and here it is:

{Baker's note: This recipe was AWFUL! Simply AWFUL! I think I cooked the noodles to long, blah, blah... anyhoo. I pretty much had to force feed the whole family so my efforts didn't go to waste. So why am I blogging about it you ask? I did put in all the work to make it, so maybe it will turn out better for you. Let me know!}

Before going into the oven


Fresh out of the oven

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

1/2 pound elbow macaroni

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon powdered mustard

3 cups milk

1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced

1 bay leaf 1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 large egg 12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Fresh black pepper

Topping:

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente. While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf. Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese. Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving. Remember to save leftovers for fried Macaroni and Cheese.

Recipe came from Alton Brown, "Good Eats" on the food network (Though I think he would cringe to know how badly my tasted)

Zuppa Tuscana

David first had this soup at Olive Garden about a year ago. Well we haven't been back in awhile so David decided to re-create the soup. It tastes better than the original (I am a little bias.)

So here are the basic ingredients with estimated amounts (David is a guy, he doesn't really "measure" anything)

3 cans chicken broth

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Head of celery

1 onion

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 package mild Italian sausage

8 potatoes

1 cup heavy cream

bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley

Cornstarch (for thickening)

This is how David puts it together:

Put chicken stock in large pot. Bring to a boil. While waiting chop celery and onion and saute in olive oil add garlic at the end. Remove and set aside, in same pan fry up sausage. Peel potatoes and add to boiling chicken stock, add completely cooked and cut sausage. Add in celery/onion mixture. Pour in Heavy whipping cream and optional spices like, red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning.

Thicken with cornstarch mixed in a little bit of water. then add parsley. let simmer for awhile (10-20 minutes)

I think that is it... any questions? Ask David!

Pumpkin Cookies

These cookies taste like pumpkin bread with frosting. I love the taste of Fall!

1 1/2 cups brown sugar packed
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups canned pumpkin (I like libby's)
2 3/4 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 ts ginger

Heat oven to 400F. Mix sugar, shortening, eggs and pumpkin thoroughly. Measure flour by sifting. Blend dry ingredients, add to pumpkin mixture, stirring until well blended. Drop batter by teaspoonfuls on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.
Ice cookies with butter icing (recipe below)

Butter Icing

2 1/2 Tbsp soft butter
1 1/2 cups sifted powder sugar
1 1/2 tsp heavey whipping cream
3/4 tsp vanilla

Blend butter and sugar together. Stir in cream and vanilla until smooth (add water to make it thinner if needed)

Mkae about 4 doz.

Simply. Lasagna

{To put it simply... I made this yesterday for a family I took dinner to, and yes, forgot to take a picture of it. It looked yummy though!}

I love this recipe because you assemble it using uncooked noodles. It also freezes REALLY well! Love it!

1 pound ground beef
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzerella cheese, divided
1 (15 oz) container Ricotta Cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 (26 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
1 cup water
12 lasagna noodle, uncooked

Preheat oven to 350F. Brown meat in large skillet on medium-high heat. Meanwhile, mix 1 1/4 cup mozzerella cheese, the ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the parsley and egg until well blended: set aside. Drain meat: return to skillet. Stir in spaghetti sauce. Pour water into empty sauce jar cover and shake well. Add to skillet; stir until well blended (you should have about 5 cups.)

Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce onto bottom of 9 x 13 baking dish; top with lauers of 3 lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture and 1 cup of the meat sauce. Repeat layers two more times. Top with remaining 3 noodles and the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/4 cups mozzerella cheese and remaining 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Cover tightly with greased foil.

Bake 45 min. Remove foil; continue baking 15 min. or until center is heated through. Let stand 15 in. before cutting for easier serving.

Recipe from Kraft foods online recipes

Mini Peanut Butter-finger Cheesecakes

WARNING: Do NOT look at this post if you are on a diet! These are AMAZING!

1 Cup ground Vanilla Wafers2 Tablespoons granulated sugar2 Tablespoons butter1/8 teaspoon salt
8 oz softened cream cheese1/4 Cup creamy peanut butter1/2 Cup sugar1 egg2 Tablespoons heavy cream1/8 teaspoon salt4 Fun Size Butterfinger Candy Bars, crushed
1 Cup semi sweet chocolate chips2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream
2 Fun Size Butterfinger, crushed
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place cookie crumbs, sugar, butter and salt into a bowl; mix to combine. Spoon mixture into bottoms of mini cheese cake pan or mini cupcake pan and press. Bake for 10 minutes and remove from oven.
2. Reduce heat to 300 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer, beat cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth. Beat sugar, egg, cream and salt until well combined. Slowly stir in crushed Butterfinger. Evenly pour batter over baked crust. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until cheesecake is set. Let cool for 2 hours, then remove from pan.
3. Melt chocolate chips in microwave in 30 second intervals until smooth. Stir in cream until smooth and glossy. If needed, return back to microwave for 15 seconds or so until smooth. Spoon over tops of cakes then sprinkle crushed butterfinger over top.

Recipe from www.picky-palate.com

Lemon Oregano Chicken Baguette

4 boneless, sinless chicken breast halves, butterflied

1 lemon peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp oregano

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp black pepper

1 baguette

salt

1 beefsteak tomato, sliced

crisp lettuce

roasted garlic aioli (recipe below)

Toss chicken breast halves with lemon, garlic, oregano, oil and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Cut baguette into 4 equal pieces. Split and toast baguette on the cut side until just crisp, 1 minute. Grill chicken. Sprinkle with salt. Fill baguette with tomatoes, salad, chicken, and aioli. Serve warm.

Roasted Garlic Aioli

1 head garlic

1 recipe mayonnaise (see below)

olive oil

salt and pepper

Slice off top of garlic, cutting through the cloves. Place cut-side up in oven tray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 300F. Roast garlic head until completely soft, about 1 hour. Let cool. Squeeze cloves from papery skins. Mash until smooth. Whisk into mayonnaise.

Mayonnaise Recipe

2 egg yolks

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

pinch of pepper

2/3 cup canola oil

2/3 cup olive oil

MAKE SURE ALL INGREDIENTS ARE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE (nothing else will matter if this isn't right) Whisk the egg yolks, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper together in a bow until thick and creamy, 1 minute.

Combine the oils in a measuring cup. Whisk the oil into the egg yolk mixture a drop at a time until it thickens. Ad the remaining oil in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly until thick and glossy. Whisk in any flavoring, (the garlic aioli recipe)

Recipe from "Grilling book" by Eric Treuille and Birgit Erath

Not so average Stroganoff

I have made this recipe for YEARS, and I got it from my Mom, and I am sure she made it for years...so, I thought it was time to "overhaul" the stroganoff recipe by adding a kick.

Here's the recipe for plan old dumb stroganoff.

2 lbs ground beef

S & p

Cornstarch and water (I use flour and water to thicken)

1 can beef broth

Crimini mushrooms

1 tbs sour cream

1 lb of your favorite pasta

Brown the beef adding salt and pepper to taste. Drain the fat, and add beef broth. Bring to rapid boil then add the thickner (cornstarch and water). Combine until beef mixture is thick. Remove from heat and let sit while cooking the noodles. Just boil the noodles in salted water. Once ready to eat add sour cream to meat mixture.

Now here is what I did....

I made the meat mixture just the same... but I topped it with this delicious dill/horseradish sauce. Here is that recipe

2 Tbs Mayonaise

2 Tbs sour cream

1 tsp horseradish

1 tsp dried dill

mix well.

I added it to the top, then topped both with chives. VERY YUMMY, also plated with baby spring salad and baguette bread.

Andes Creme de Menthe Chunk Cookies

These cookies are SUPER yummy. They have such a refreshing taste of mint. Love 'em!

1/2 cup salted butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 package (10 oz) Andes Creme de Menthe Baking Chips
2 2/3 cups flour

Blend butter, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla and eggs until mixed. Stir Andes Baking Chips (I only used 1/2 the bag) and then flour. Roll into small balls and bake on non-stick baking pans. Bake 350 for approx. 8-10 minutes. Cool on pans for two minutes before removing. Makes about 4 doz.

Recipe is from "The Sisters Cafe"

Chicken Cordon Blue Bake

I am NOT NOT NOT a casserole person, but this one wasn't too bad. I actually thought it was yummy!


2 packages reduced sodium stuffing (I used the regular stuff)
1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 lb sliced deli ham, cut into i inch strips
1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed (I used 4 cups chicken, it was tasty)

Prepare stuffing mixes according to directions on box. Meanwhile in a bowl combine soup and milk. Put cooked cubed chicken in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Sprinkle with pepper, layer on ham, Swiss cheese and 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, soup mixture and stuffing. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese (at this point you could freeze it for another day. If freezing thaw in fridge overnight and remove from fridge 30 minutes before baking) Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-14 minutes longer.

(This recipe came from "The Sisters Cafe")

30 minute Rolls

These rolls REALLY only took 30 minutes, and they were delicious! The perfect 'after church' dinner roll.

1 1/8 plus 2 tsp. warm water
1/3 cup oil
2 Tbls yeast
1/4 cup sugar or honey
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
3 1/2 cups flour

mix first 4 ingredients and let rest for 15 minutes. Add salt and eggs - gradually add flour. Shape into dinner rolls, or use in your favorite recipe that calls for dough. After shaped, let rest for 10 minutes. For rolls, bake 10 minutes at 400F until golden brown.

(This recipe came from "The sisters cafe" blog. You can find their blog on my side bar)

Lemon Cake

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
3 cups flour, sifted
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbls grated lemon zest (zest of one lemon)
2 Tbls fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease a 10-inch tube or bundt pan lightly four, shake out excess. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in dry ingredients into egg mixture alternatively with buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Add lemon juice and zest. Pour batter into prepared pan. Set on the middle rack of oven and bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes, or until cake pulls away from sides of pan and test inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool cake in the pan, set on wire rack for 10-15 minutes. run knife along sides of pan to loosen cake, then pop from pan and spread on icing at once, while cake is still hot.

Lemon Icing
1/2 pound (2 cups) confectioners' sugar
1/2 sick butter, softened
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 Tbls. lemon zest

Cream butter and sugar thoroughly, mix in lemon zest and juice. Drizzle over warm cake



This is my kids FAVORITE Sunday dessert!

(Recipe from Silver Palate cookbook)