Raspberry Limeade Cake

From Paula Dean - to a friend of my mom - to my mom

I made these up as cupcakes - delicious - but any way you make it would be great!

Not quick or easy.. but so worth it

3/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar1 tablespoon lime zest
3/4 cup limeade concentrate
5 large eggs
3 -3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 -3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 - 1/2 cups whole buttermilk
raspberry filling (see below)
cream cheese icing (see below)
garnish of lime slices and whole raspberries


Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray three 9 inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and lime zest at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the limeade concentrate, beating until combined (mixture will look curdled).Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a medium bowl combine flour and baking powder. Gradually add to butter mixture, alternately with buttermilk,beginning and ending with flour mixture.Pour batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until wooden skewer comes out clean from center. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes once finished bakingand then remove cakes from pans. Allow to cool completely on wire racks. Once cooled, spread raspberry filling evenly between layers and ice with cream cheese frosting.Garnish as desired.

Raspberry Filling
1 (10 oz.) package of frozen raspberries
1/2 cup sugar2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup butter cut in pieces

Blend raspberries until smooth in a food processor. Strain mixture and discard solids. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add raspberry puree, egg yolks, and lemon juice, whisking to combine. Cook over medium heat whisking constantly for 7 to 8 minutes or until very thick. Remove from heat, whisk in butter gradually until melted. Cool mixture slightly then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Cream Cheese-Limeade Icing
1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cups butter, softened
3 tablespoons. limeade concentrate
1 tablespoon lime zest5 cup confectioners’ sugar

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add limeade concentrate and lime zest, beating at low speed until combined. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth.

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

SO good

INGREDIENTS

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
  
• 1T Poultry seasoning
• 2t Cumin
• 1/2 onion, finely diced
• 1 (10 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough, each biscuit cut into 6 pieces
• optional - frozen vegetables:  corn, peas, carrots

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the chicken, butter, soup, cumin, poultry seasoning and onion in a crock pot, and fill with enough water to cover.
2. Cover, and cook for 5 to 6 hours on High (or all day on low). About 45-60 minutes before serving, shread the chicken and return it to the crock pot.   Place the biscuit dough pieces in the crock pot(if the crock pot isn't on high, put it on high for this portion).  If you are adding vegetables add them at this point.  Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center.

Outback Alice's Spring Chicken Recipe

I got this from Kristen, but my wanted to put it online here! We half the recipe.

Honey Mustard Marinade:
1/2 cup Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Chicken:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms (10-12 mushrooms)- we leave this out
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper
paprika
8 slices bacon, cooked
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley

1. Using an electric mixer, combine mustard, honey, 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and lemon juice in small bowl. Whip mixture for about 30 seconds. Pour about 2/3 of marinade over the chicken breasts and marinate them (covered) in the refrigerator, for about 2 hours. Chill remaining marinade until later.

2. After the chicken has marinated, preheat oven to 375°F and heat up an ovenproof frying pan (large enough to hold all four breasts) with 1 teaspoon of oil over medium heat. If you don't have an ovenproof skillet, transfer the chicken to a baking dish for the baking. Sear chicken in pan for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove the pan from heat, but keep the chicken in the pan. As the chicken is cooking, saute the sliced mushrooms in butter in a small frying pan.

3. Brush each seared chicken breast with a little of the reserved honey mustard marinade (not the portion the chicken marinated in), being sure to save a little extra to serve as a side.

4. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and a dash of paprika. Stack two pieces of cooked bacon, crosswise, on each chicken breast. Spoon the sauteed mushrooms on the bacon, being sure to coat each breast evenly. Spread 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese onto each breast, followed by 1/4 cup of Cheddar.

5. Bake the pan of chicken for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is thoroughly melted and starting to bubble.

6. Sprinkle each chicken breast with teaspoon parsley before serving. Place extra marinade in small bowl to serve on the side.

Delish! You can serve with cheesy mashed potatoes.

Chicken Satay

We made this tonight on the grill and it was delicious!

6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup lemon or lime juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 pack chicken tenders (or breasts....I just love the tenders)


In a mixing bowl, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, curry powder, garlic and hot pepper sauce. Place the chicken breasts in the marinade and refrigerate. Let the chicken marinate at least 2 hours (or 1.5 hours on the counter:) .

Preheat a grill to high heat.

Grill chicken for 5 minutes per side, until done.

Chocolate Almond Cake with Raspberry Sauce

6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, melted

8 oz. almond paste (not marzipan - that has sugar added)

¼ c. butter

2/3 c. sugar

3 eggs

1 Tbsp. brandy

1/3 c. flour

½ tsp. baking powder

Cream together almond paste, butter, and sugar. Add cooled chocolate, eggs, and brandy. Stir in flour and baking powder just till mixed. Spread batter in an 8-inch round cake pan that has been lined with 2 sheets of parchment paper. (Do not grease the pan.) Bake at 350 degrees F. for 40 to 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out fairly clean. Cool completely. Cut around the cake with a knife and turn onto serving plate. Serve with raspberry sauce, garnish with fresh raspberries and mint if desired.

Raspberry Sauce: Blend together a thawed 12-ounce bag of frozen raspberries (no sugar added) and 2 tablespoons sugar. Push mixture through a sieve with a rubber scraper to remove most of the seeds. If you have fresh berries, use 2 cups berries and 2 Tbsp. sugar.

-Terri Narr

Key Lime Sorbet

If you love tart... you will love this!


Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup key lime preserves
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 lime, zested and juiced
4 cups lime flavored club soda or seltzer
Kosher salt


Directions
Combine sugar, preserves and 1 cup of the soda in a medium saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar and preserves are melted. Add citrus juice and zest. Stir in the remaining soda, move to a clean, lidded container and chill thoroughly, 2 to 3 hours.

Turn mixture in ice cream maker per maker's instructions or until mixture reaches the consistency of a firm slush. Return mixture to lidded container and harden in freezer 1 hour before serving.

If sorbet is to be held frozen for longer than 2 hours, move from freezer to refrigerator for about half an hour before serving. If you'd like a more assertive sorbet, double the amount of citrus zest.

Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Berries

Jared's Favorite

For meringue:
1 cup superfine granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 large egg whites at room temperature 30 minutes
3 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

For filling:
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 fresh lemon juice
1/2 stick unsalted butter
3 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 cup heavy cream
4 cups mixed berries

Make meringue:

Preheat oven to 300°F with rack in middle. Trace an approximately 7-inch circle on a sheet of parchment paper. Turn parchment over and put on a baking sheet.
Whisk together superfine sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl.
Beat whites with a pinch of salt using an electric mixer at medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Add water (whites will loosen) and beat until whites again hold soft peaks.
Increase speed to medium-high and beat in sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time. After all sugar has been added, beat 1 minute more.
Add vinegar and beat at high speed until meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks, about 5 minutes (longer if using hand-held mixer).
Gently spread meringue inside circle on parchment, making edge of meringue slightly higher than center (the "crater" is for curd and fruit). Bake until meringue is pale golden and has a crust, about 45 minutes (inside will still be marshmallow-like).
Turn oven off and prop door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Cool meringue in oven 1 hour.


Make Lemon curd while meringue bakes:

Stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2-qt heavy saucepan, then add lemon juice and butter. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking, then continue to simmer, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Lightly beat yolks in a small bowl and whisk in 1/4 cup lemon mixture, then whisk into remaining lemon mixture in saucepan. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until curd is thickened, about 2 minutes (do not let boil). Transfer to a bowl and stir in zest. Chill, surface covered with parchment, until cool, about 1 1/2 hours.


Assemble Pavlova:

Beat heavy cream until it just holds stiff peaks, then fold 1/4 cup beaten cream into curd to lighten. Spoon lemon curd into meringue and mound berries on top. Serve remaining whipped cream on the side.

World's Best Potatoes au Gratin

This was my very favorite dish this Easter.. I will make it often now!

Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup shredded Gruyere
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish or similar sized casserole dish.
Arrange the sliced potatoes in the prepared dish. In a medium saucepan, saute the minced garlic in butter over medium heat until softened and fragrant. Stir in flour and cook for 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the cream until smooth and thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheeses. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour cheese sauce over the potatoes in the dish. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes until browned.

Tangerine-Glazed Easter Ham with Baby Carrots

Ingredients
1 (8 to 10-pound) smoked ham, bone-in, skin on
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut in chunks
2 tangerines, sliced thin, seeds removed
2 cups tangerine juice
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
11/2 pounds carrots, peeled

Directions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Put the ham in a large roasting pan, fat-side up. Using a sharp knife, score the ham with cuts across the skin, about 2-inches apart and 1/2-inch deep. Cut diagonally down the slashes to form a diamond pattern; season the meat generously with salt and pepper. Chop about 8 of the sage leaves and put it in a bowl; mix with the oil to make a paste. Rub the sage-oil all over the ham, being sure to get the flavor into all the slits. Bake the ham for 2 hours. Now there is plenty of time to bang-out the tangerine glaze.

For the glaze: Place a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chunks of butter, tangerines, tangerine juice, brown sugar, water, and spices. Slowly cook the liquid down to a syrupy glaze; this should take about 30 to 40 minutes.

After the ham has being going for a couple of hours, pour the tangerine glaze all over it, with the pieces of fruit and all. Scatter the remaining sage leaves on top and stick the ham back in the oven and continue to cook for 11/2 hours, basting with the juices every 30 minutes.

Scatter the carrots around the ham and coat in the tangerine glaze. Stick the ham once again back in the oven and cook for a final 30 minutes, until the carrots are tender, the ham is dark and crispy, and the whole thing is glistening with a sugary glaze.

Set the ham on a cutting board to rest before carving. Serve the carrots and tangerine glaze on the side.

Honey Bun Cake

A friend of mine from college got this off of AllRecipes.com, and then she blogged about it. So then I made it, and now I am blogging about it. It is good! It is also relatively healthy because of the applesauce and egg whites. (Nutritional Analysis: One serving (1 piece) equals 185 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 5 mg cholesterol, 198 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein.)

I have to confess that I made this last night, and I DID NOT have the applesauce, so I substituted unhealthy oil for it. haha Oh well. So, I put 1/3 c of canola oil. Also, after already not using the healthy fat, I went ahead and put 3 eggs instead of the 4 egg whites. SOOOOOO mine wasn't healthy. But either way, it is GOOD! :)

Ingredients:
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow or whitecake mix
4 egg whites
1 cup sour cream
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

For Filling:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

For Glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*By the way, I used a bundt pan. I think this is the kind of cake that is perfect in that pan, but I'm sure you can use whatever.

Directions:1. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry cake mix, egg whites, sour cream and applesauce. Beat on low speed until moistened. Beat on medium for 2 minutes.2. Pour HALF into a greased 9 x 13 or bundt pan. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over batter. Cover with remaining batter; cut through with a knife to swirl. Bake at 325 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (If using bundt pan, bake for 40-45 minutes). Cool on a wire rack. Flip over onto serving dish.3. For glaze, combine confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth; drizzle over warm cake. Store at room temperature.

Best Ever Potato Soup

I know that we are kind of getting out of the "soup weather," so that's why I haven't posted this. But then this morning as I felt the cold wind blowing, I thought, "There is still time." So here it is:

Ingredients:
10 bacon strips, diced
3 cups cubed peeled potatoes
1 can (14 ½ oz) chicken broth
1 small carrot, grated (we don’t put this in)
½ cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
½ teaspoon each celery seed, salt and pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
8 oz Velveeta cheese cubed (or you can use 8 oz of cheddar)
2 green onions, thinly sliced

In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp; drain. Remove about half of bacon to put on top of soup. Add potatoes, broth, carrot, onion, parsley, celery seed, salt & pepper. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender (about 15 minutes).

Combine flour and milk until smooth; add to soup. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add cheese; stir until cheese is melted and the soup is heated through. Garnish with green onions and reserved bacon.

*You can add an extra potato or two and then mash some of the potatoes to help with the thickening. Also, it's not a bad idea to double the recipe because it goes fast!

Asian Salad

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon (generous) Asian sesame oil
1 navel orange
1 6-ounce bag baby spinach leaves
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch wedges

Whisk first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set dressing aside.
Cut off peel and white pith from orange. Cut orange into 1/3-inch rounds; cut rounds crosswise in half. Add spinach to dressing; toss to coat. Add avocado and orange; toss gently.

Dinner in a Jar - homemade caramel sauce

I found this whilst blog hopping the other day and decided I should share it with all of you after telling Kristen about it earlier!

Here goes:

1/3 c. heavy whipping cream
1/3 c. butter (5-1/3 Tb), cut into chunks
1 c. packed brown sugar
2 Tb light Karo syrup

Combine all ingredients into a pot and cook and stir over Medium heat until it begins to boil. Remove from heat. You can serve right away or store in a tupperware in the refrigerator. When you are ready to have some, take out of fridge and microwave approximately 20 seconds (less if you've already eaten some of course) and caramel will thin down a bit for you.

This really is the best caramel sauce I've tasted and I am so glad I found this recipe! I ate almost half of the batch I made just with a spoon, no ice cream, cookies, sundaes or desserts involved. It is delicious!

recipe found at www.armellejewelry.blogspot.com

Crockpot turkey breast, mmm!

This is absolutely delicious and about the easiest way I've ever made a turkey breast.

You'll need:
Large crockpot (big enough to hold a turkey breast plus some liquid)
1 turkey breast
1 medium yellow onion, chopped in BIG chunks
1 can chicken broth (or 2 cups white wine)
1 stick butter in chunks
salt and pepper to taste (no salt if using chkn broth that isn't low sodium)

Refrigerate turkey breast for 1-1/2 to 2 days in refridgerator.

Remove turkey from netting and wrapper and more netting (if you have one like mine). Put pouch of gravy on plate and store in fridge for later. Wash turkey in sink with water and then pat dry with paper towels. Place in bottom of crock pot. Wash hands.

Chop up onion in big chunks and place all around and on top of turkey breast. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Drop in chunks of butter. Pour can of chicken broth all over turkey.

Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours. I cooked mine (still partially frozen after 1 day in fridge, eek!) on Hi for 5.5 hours then checked temperature and it was 190+ and already done. I left it on Stay Warm for the remaining 2 hours til dinner and it was perfect!

I served mine with:
Cornbread stuffing and Green Bean Casserole


Toasted cornbread stuffing:

For the stuffing, I just made a box mix because they're easy and I like them! After it was cooked, I put it in a casserole and put in the oven for about 5-10 minutes with the green bean casserole at 350.


Green Bean Casserole

2 cans French cut green beans, drained
1 can Cream of Mushroom
1/2 can of milk
Couple shakes of pepper and a shake of cayenne paper
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I'd have used more but I ran out! Try 1/2 cup in yours)
french fried onions

Stir all ingredients together in medium bowl, then transfer to a glass casserole. Top with fried onions and bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes or until warm through and bubbly.

Cafe Rio Chicken, Lime Rice, and Beans

[ CAFE-RIO CHICKEN ]

1/2 bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
3 cloves garlic minced
2 chicken breasts (frozen)

Place all ingredients into crock-pot for 4 hours on high. Shred and Cook an additional hour.
(I didn't go the full hour, I just let it cook while I made the rice and beans)

[ LIME-CILANTRO RICE ]

1 Tbsp. oil
2 c. long grain rice (3 c. water)
cilantro, finely chopped
juice of a lime
1 tsp. crushed garlic

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add rice, cilantro, and garlic. Saute 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add water and lime juice and bring to boil. Then reduce heat and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed by the rice (about 20 minutes).

[ BLACK BEANS ]

1 Can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 cup tomato juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

(I've made it that way too but last night I just added some Cumin and Minced Garlic to the can of beans and heated)

[ TORTILLAS ]

Take a pan of heated oil, place a flour tortilla in for a few seconds until it starts bubbling up, then flip over and do same thing.

Or, I've also made the following homemade tortillas, which never seem to turn out quite in the shape of tortillas, but maybe you'll have better luck!

Homemade tortillas:
3 C. flour
1/2 C. veggie or olive oil
1 1/8 C. luke warm water
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Mix all ingredients and knead. If too hard to knead, add a little water but if too sticky add a little more flour. Let stand for about 10 minutes. Makes about 12 small balls. Flatten each by rolling them out and then cook them in a frying pan

[ INSTRUCTIONS ]

Place Rice, Beans, Chicken, (Cheese optional) all on the tortilla! You can wrap as burrito or eat taco style. Enjoy!

Asian Pork and Mushroom Burgers

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 ounces sliced mushrooms 
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, divided
• 1 3/4 ground pork
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
• 3 teaspoons Asian sesame oil, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)
• redpepper, carrot, cilantro and lettuce for burger toppings if desired

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add  garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add mushrooms. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt; sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; cool in skillet.  Once they are cool, roughly chop up the mixture.

Place pork in large bowl. Mix in 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, cracked pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, then fold in mushroom mixture. Shape into patties.

Whisk hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, chili sauce, and remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 2 teaspoons sesame oil in small bowl for sauce. DO AHEAD: Burgers and sauce can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover separately; chill.

Spray grill rack with nonstick spray. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat ). Grill burgers until cooked through. Place burgers on buns and top with sauce, pepper, lettuce, carrot and cilantro however you like it! 

Ham and Swiss Party Sandwiches

I got this recipe a couple of years ago, and everytime I make them they are such a hit!!! Don't underestimate the name. They are SO good and SO good for parties or large crowds. I have already been getting email requests from Chris' classmates wanting this recipe, so I thought I would post it for you all too.....

What You Need:

2 packages of Dinnner Rolls (I bought some soft ones I found at Target..not sure the name....!!)
Swiss Cheese slices
Deli Ham
3 tbsp. mustard
3 tbsp. poppy seeds
2 tsp minced onion
2 tsp. worchestershire sauce
1 1/2 sticks butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Slice both packages of rolls horizontally and place on pan or cookie sheet. Melt the butter/margarine in the microwave. Add poppy seeds, mustard, onion, & worchestershire to butter. Whisk together. Brush mustard mixture evenly and liberally on both sides of rolls. On the bottom top the mustard mixture with a layer of ham and then a layer of swiss. Cover with foil and bake in oven for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve warm.

Chicken Ranch Pizza

Jared was a big fan of this one...

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 package chicken breast tenders
• flour for dusting
• 1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust
• 1/2 cup Ranch-style salad dressing
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 4 strips of bacon, cooked

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to according to the package directions on the pizza dough.
2. Dust the chicken with flour
3. Place chicken in a large skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil. Cook until no longer pink, and juices run clear. Cool, then either shred or chop into small pieces.
4. Unroll dough, and press into the prepared pizza pan or baking sheet. Bake for a few minutes to let crust set up then take out.
5. Spread ranch dressing over partially baked crust. Sprinkle on mozzarella cheese. Place tomatoes, green onion, chicken and bacon on top of mozzarella cheese, then top with Cheddar cheese. Return to the oven for the remaining time according to crust directions, or until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown.

French Dip Sandwiches

Cassi - this is for you!  It's easy but sooooo good.... we've decided it's way better than any restaurant French Dip we've ever had.

1 roast (cheapest one at the store - don't buy a nice one)

2 loaves of day old bread from Jimmy Johns ($.40 here!)

2 packs of Au Jus gravy powder mix

butter

mozzarella cheese

Stir up 1 Au Jus packet with 1-2 cups of water (depending on the size of your crock pot) and place the roast in the crock pot with the water/ powder mix.  Add water until it's about half way up the pot.

Let the crock pot cook it on low all day.

When you get home from work, take a fork and shred up the meat (you can do this while it's still in the crock pot).  It should just pull apart really easily.

Heat up the second Au Jus packet according to the directions.

Cut the bread in half length-wise and then again width-wise so you have 4 pieces of bread for 2 sandwiches/ loaf.  Butter the inside of the bread and place it on a cookie sheet butter side up.  Add cheese if you want (I don't like it but Jared does) on top of one of the buttered sides.  

Broil the bread until it's toasted.

Put the shredded meat on the bread and make sandwiches then dip it in the Au Jus you heated up.

Sooooo good!

Skinny Tortilla Soup (the easy way)

Here's what we had for dinner tonight. I tried it this time in the Crock-Pot and it worked great! (Now I know it's not fancy- I'm so intimidated by all your fancy recipes, but hey, we liked it!)

SKINNY TORTILLA SOUP

1 (16 oz.) can refried beans
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz.) can chicken broth (or bouillon and water)
1 ½ C. frozen corn (we omitted this)
¾ C. chunky salsa
½ C. water
1 C. chicken breast (I used one large frozen chicken breast)
2 C. shredded cheese
tortilla chips

Combine beans, broth, corn (or you know, not), salsa, water and chicken in crock pot. Heat on high for 4 hours (or you could do low for longer). About 30 min before serving, shred chicken and add 1 C cheese.

Serve with remaining cheese sprinkled on top and tortilla chips. I also put flour tortillas filled with cheese in a pan of oil and made yummy cheese crisps.

Black bean salsa quesadillas

I just whipped up one of these quesadillas for lunch and thought I'd share the recipe with you since they turned out awesome!

1 can black beans, drain some of juice off
1/2 cup salsa
shredded cheddar cheese, the sharper the better
few leaves of cilantro, torn
reduced fat sour cream
tortillas, soft taco size, regular or whole-wheat

Using a vegetable processor, pour in 1/4 cup black beans, 1/4-1/2 cup salsa (too much salsa and the quesadilla might end up a bit messy!), and a few leaves of cilantro (torn). Process until chunky and well blended, about 45 seconds to 1 minute.

Butter sides of tortillas. Spread one tortilla with black bean/salsa mixture. Top with cheddar cheese. Place butter side down in pan and cover with other tortilla. Cook until light brown on bottom side, then flip. Cook until second side is browned as well.

Transfer to cutting board and divide into quarters with a pizza cutter. Top with sour cream and more salsa.

YUM :) These would be great for kiddos too--a sneaky way to get them to eat some veggies!

Stuffed Mushrooms

24 large mushrooms
2Tbsp. freshly grated parmesan cheese
1-8oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
4oz crabmeat
2 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 Tbsp. bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. minced shallots
1 1/2 tsp. cognac
1/2 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
fresh parsley sprigs
lemon wedges

Remove mushroom stems;clean caps and set aside.  Discard stems.  In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except mushrooms, parsley and lemon wedges. Beat well. Fill each mushroom cap with enough of the mixture to form a dome.  Place on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes.  To serve, place mushrroms on a platter and garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.

Salmon Marinade

Got this from my mom.  It's really good.

1/4 c soy sauce

2 cloves garlic minced

2 T olive oil

2 T fresh grated ginger (I just grate mine on the cheese grater)

1/3 c brown sugar

Mix the ingredients and then put them into a gallon ziplock.

Put as many salmon steaks in there as you want and then let it marinade for 1/2-1 hour (not any more according to my mom or they're gross)

Then just grill them up on the stove top or grill and they are fantastic.

I put them with rice and broccoli and it was very yummy!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

REALLY GOOD WITH FRENCH BREAD

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 (10 ounce) container Alfredo-style pasta sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place garlic in a small baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven 20 to 30 minutes, until soft. Remove from heat. When cool enough to touch, squeeze softened garlic from skins.
3. In an 8x8 inch baking dish, spread the roasted garlic, spinach, artichoke hearts, Alfredo-style pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and cream cheese.
4. Cover and bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until cheeses are melted and bubbly. Serve warm.

Caramel Nut Brownies

These are GREAT

1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 (18.25 ounce) package German chocolate cake mix
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9x13 inch baking dish.
Melt caramels and 1/3 cup of the evaporated milk over very low heat, stirring occasionally until smooth.
Combine cake mix, melted butter, the remaining 1/3 cup evaporated milk, vanilla and nuts. Mix well and spread 1/2 of the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 8 minutes.
Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the partially cooked brownies. Pour the melted caramel mixture over the top and with a teaspoon drop the remaining 1/2 of the batter evenly over the top.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes. Let brownies cool in pan then cut into bars.

Roasted Pork Sandwiches with Rosemary Au Jus

Ingredients
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
1 (14-ounce) can less-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon tomato paste
6 (2-ounce) French bread rolls
Lettuce leaves (optional)


Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl; add 1 teaspoon oil. Rub over pork. Let stand 15 minutes.

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork; cook 4 minutes, browning on all sides. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink). Let stand 5 minutes. Remove pork from pan; cut diagonally across grain into 12 slices.

Return pan to medium-high heat, and add broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add sherry and tomato paste; stir with a whisk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes.

Cut rolls in half horizontally. Place 2 slices pork on bottom half of each roll; top with lettuce leaf, if desired. Cover with roll tops. Serve with jus.

Raspberry Crumbles

• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 8 inch square pan, and line with greased foil.
• 
  
• Combine brown sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and rolled oats. Rub in the butter using your hands or a pastry blender to form a crumbly mixture. Press 2 cups of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the jam to within 1/4 inch of the edge. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the top, and lightly press it into the jam.
• 
  
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

Hummus

I've been looking for a good hummus recipe for a while... this one is really great.

We serve it with naan or pita.

Ingredients

• 1  (16-oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/3  cup  olive oil
• 3  tablespoons  lemon juice
• 1  teaspoon  minced garlic
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 
  

Preparation

Process first 6 ingredients and 2 tablespoons water in a food processor 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth, stopping once to scrape down sides. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and chill 2 hours or up to 3 days. 

Sesame-Crusted Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Pineapple, Mango, and Red Pepper Relish

Found this in Cooking Light and it was really good.

Ingredients

• RELISH:
• 1/2  cup  finely chopped pineapple
• 1/2  cup  finely chopped peeled mango
• 1/4  cup  finely chopped red bell pepper
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh cilantro
• 1  tablespoon  fresh orange juice
• 1/2  teaspoon  grated orange rind
• 1/2  teaspoon  crushed red pepper
• 
  REMAINING INGREDIENTS:
• Cooking spray
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 4  (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks (about 1 inch thick)
• 4  teaspoons  black sesame seeds

Preparation

To prepare relish, combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl; set aside.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over steaks. Coat both sides of each steak with 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds, pressing gently to adhere. Add steaks to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with relish.

Ranch-y snack mix

Delicious to munch on at Christmas-time, this snack mix sells at Hy-Vee for 4 bucks for a tiny container...why not make your own?

I have a container of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix but you could use 1 packet instead of the same thing.

3 Tb ranch mix (equal to 1 packet of dressing mix sold at grocery store)
3 Tb vegetable oil
1-2 c. each chex cereal, oyster crackers, goldfish (or whales), pretzels

Pour all cereal/crackers into a big bag (paper or huge ziploc both work). Pour in vegetable oil, close bag, and shake like crazy. Open bag and pour in ranch mix. Close and shake like crazy again.

Pour into a tupperware to store and snack on for days to come! Enjoy!

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

I made these for our Thanksgiving dinner and they were a hit!

Start by making basic mashed potatoes:
6 medium potatoes
2 Tb butter
1/2 c. cream
dash of salt and pepper

Peel and cook potatoes until done. Drain and mash in large bowl. Add butter and cream (start with a little and work your way up, you may not need all of the 1/2 cup). Add salt and pepper.

To make them loaded:
1/2 c. milk
1 pkg cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp parsley flakes
1 tsp garlic salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used white cheddar but yellow is good too!)
1/2 lb bacon (I used one pkg of ready-cooked bacon from target)

In same large bowl that potatoes are in already, add milk, cream cheese, sour cream, parsley flakes and garlic salt and mix with hand mixer on medium speed until creamy.

Spread into greased 9x13 pan and smooth out top. Break up bacon pieces and sprinkle over top of potatoes. Sprinkle top with cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until warm inside.

YUM!

Peanut Butter Pie

I got this recipe from a friend, and it is SOOOOOOOO GOOD! I'll try to post more than just desserts, but I have a major sweets addiction. I highly recommend this, and I'm not even a pie person.

Ingredients:
1 graham cracker crust
1 cup Crunchy Peanut Butter
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 c chocolate chips
1 small instant chocolate pudding
1 1/2 c. milk
1 container of cool whip

Directions:
Mix peanut butter and sugar (it makes a weird but yummy crumble mixture). Pat crumbs on top of crust, saving some to sprinkle on top of the pie.
Whisk pudding and milk according to package (2 minutes) pour over top of crust.
Refrigerate for 3-4 hours. Add Cool Whip and peanut butter crumbles and sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Monster Cookies

This recipe makes A LOT of cookies, so they are perfect if you are giving baked goods away for the holidays and need large quantities. I also LOVE that they have M & M's in them...yummy!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar PACKED
3 eggs
2 cups peanut butter
3/4 tsp. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. vanilla
4 c minute oats
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup M&Ms
1 6oz. package semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Cream butter and add sugar to it. Then add in the eggs, corn syrup, peanut butter vanilla, salt & baking soda. Add oats & mix into batter. Stir in M&Ms & Chocolate chips. Roll into large balls and place on cookie sheet & press into circle. (Warning - the dough feels gooey-er than most cookie dough, and that's ok!)Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Watch them closely. My oven cooks faster than most, so I put it on 325 and took them out around 10-12 minutes. They are really good!

Pumpkin Bars

Guilty confession...David and I ate an entire pan of these ourselves last week. They are THAT good. :)

Pumpkin Bars
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir into the pumpkin mixture until thoroughly combined.
Spread the batter evenly into an ungreased 10x15 inch jellyroll pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in preheated oven. (You can also use a 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 F for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.) Cool before frosting or the bars will get flattened (but if you can't wait and don't mind flat bars, this is okay!).
To make the frosting, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Stir in vanilla. Add confectioners' sugar a little at a time, beating until mixture is smooth. Spread evenly on top of the cooled bars. Cut into squares and serve!

Banana Bars

We had frozen bananas coming out of our ears and you can only eat so much banana bread:

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
• 1 (16 ounce) container cream cheese frosting

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the sour cream and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter. Finally, mix in the mashed banana. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow bars to cool completely before frosting with the cream cheese frosting.

Italian Chicken Calzones

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 (14 ounce) can marinated quartered artichoke hearts, drained, liquid reserved
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup white wine
2 tubes pre-made pizza dough
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
pizza sauce (for dipping)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven according to directions on pizza dough package.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken in oil and butter for 5 to 7 minutes per side; remove from skillet, and set aside.
Place artichoke hearts and mushrooms in the skillet, and saute until mushrooms are brown and tender. Return chicken to skillet, and pour in reserved artichoke liquid and wine. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
Roll out pizza dough and portion the dough into as many calzones as you want.
Place some of the chicken mixture into the center of the dough piece. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Seal the dough around the chicken mixture being careful to completely enclose the contents.
Place the calzones on a greased cookie sheet and bake until the crust is golden brown.

Dip the calzones in the pizza sauce if desired.

Macaroni and Cheese

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni
8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Muenster cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mild Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup (8 ounces) Velveeta , cut into small cubes
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a deep 2 1/2-quart casserole.

Bring the large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the oil, then the elbow macaroni, and cook until the macaroni is just tender, about 7 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain well. Return to the cooking pot.

In a small saucepan, melt eight tablespoons of the butter. Stir into the macaroni. In a large bowl, mix the Muenster, mild and sharp Cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheeses. To the macaroni, add the half-and-half, 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese, the cubed Velveeta, and the eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the buttered casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and dot with the remaining one tablespoon of butter.

Bake until it's bubbling around the edges, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.

Chickpea and Potato Curry

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
One 14 1/2-ounce can fire-roasted or stewed tomatoes with chiles (If you can't find canned tomatoes with chiles you can add half a 4-ounce can of diced green anaheim chiles to a 14.5 ounce can of tomatoes.)
6 baby (new) Yukon Gold potatoes (about 12 ounces), quartered
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1-2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper


1 In a large pot, combine the broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, potatoes, onion, butter, ginger, 1 teaspoon of salt, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Stir to mix and nestle the potatoes into the liquid.

2 Set the pot, uncovered, over medium heat. Simmer vigorously for about 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add more salt to taste. Serve the curry in bowls over Jasmine rice.

Garlic Chicken Farfalle

This is a yummy recipe from a friend. So I thought I'd share it! We love this meal

16oz. farfalle (bow tie pasta)
1 cup whipping cream
3 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1/2 Tbsp. pepper
1/2 cup butter
1 lb bacon, cooked & crumbled
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 12oz. bottle Lawry's mesquite with lime juice marinade
*2-3 cloves crushed garlic (optional)

Cook chicken in crock pot with marinade, 4-6 hours. Boil pasta. Melt butter; add whipping cream, pepper, parmesan cheese, & bacon. Whisk together on low heat 5 min. In a large bowl add pasta and sauce, mix well. Cut up chicken into small cubes and add to mixture. Serve with garlic toast.

Also, I half the recipe because it makes a ton!

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

I made this for dinner last night and Brandon enjoyed it. It wasn't that spicy either which I like!

Prep Time:
20 min

Total Time:
10 hr 20 min

Makes:
10 servings

10 chicken thighs, skins removed (2-3/4 lb.)

1 jar (16 oz.) TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa

1 medium onion, chopped

2 Tbsp. curry powder

1 cup BREAKSTONE'S FREE or KNUDSEN FREE Fat Free Sour Cream

PLACE chicken in slow cooker. Combine salsa, onions and curry powder; pour over chicken. Cover with lid.

COOK on LOW for 8 to 10 hours (or on HIGH for 5 hours).

REMOVE chicken to serving platter; cover to keep warm. Add sour cream to slow cooker; stir until well blended. Serve over the chicken.

Serving Suggestion

Serve over hot steamed vegetables. Or, spoon over 2/3-cup servings of hot cooked brown rice.

Cooking Know-How

Heat releases the fragrant flavorful oils in curry. For optimum flavor, measure the curry powder into a small microwaveable bowl and microwave on HIGH for 30 sec. before adding to the slow cooker.

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

My cousin made this for our family reunion and it was a total hit! I made it and it was easy and delicious!
INGREDIENTS
1 Fuji apple - peeled, cored and diced
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
**You can really use whatever fruit you have laying around. We used apples, pears, peaches, raspberries and strawberries in ours. Honestly...use whatever fruit is in the fridge or whatever you think sounds yummy! Just be sure to cut everything small enough it will be easy to scoop up with the chips!

1 cup oil for frying OR cooking spray
6 (10 inch) flour tortillas
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, mix together Fuji apple, strawberries, kiwis, bananas, lime juice, white sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover and chill in the refrigerator approximately 20 minutes.
For fried tortillas:
Heat oil in a medium heavy saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Slice flour tortillas into triangles. Carefully place tortilla triangles into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
Place white sugar and cinnamon in a large ziplock plastic bag. Drop fried tortilla triangles into the bag and shake to coat.
For baked tortillas:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut tortillas into triangles. Spray both sides with cooking spray and sprinkle cinnamon sugar over top. Bake until crispy(about 10-15minutes).

Serve the cinnamon chips warm (room temp is fine, too!) with the chilled fruit salsa.

Alex Streeter's Famous Pie

I had a craving - got the recipe from him - and now I'm posting it here so that I can't lose it

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 12-oz. container firm silken tofu
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 9-inch premade graham cracker crust
1/2 cup chopped chocolate-covered pretzels

DIRECTIONS

Place chocolate chips in microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on high for 30 seconds.

Stir chocolate, and heat 30 seconds more. Repeat heating and stirring until chocolate is just melted. Set aside.

Combine tofu and maple syrup in food processor, and blend 3 minutes, or until smooth.

Add peanut butter, and process until smooth. Add melted chocolate, and process once more until smooth.

Pour peanut butter-chocolate mixture into pie crust, smoothing the top; refrigerate 20 minutes.

Sprinkle pretzels on top, and serve, or refrigerate until ready to eat.

Asparagus Roll-ups

1 bunch asapragus, cut to length of bread slice
8 oz. cream cheese
5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 bunch of green onions, sliced very thin
1 loaf of whole wheat bread
butter
freshly grated parmesan

Steam/ blanch asparagus. Do not overcook! Lay asparagus on a paper towel until it drys and is cool. Roll bread flat and cut off crust. Combine cream cheese, bacon and onion. Spread cheese mixture on bread slice. Place spear on bread. Roll up on angle. Place seam side down on baking sheet. Brush top with melted butter and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake 10 -15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Creamy Spinach Lasagna

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/4 cups chopped onion (about 2 medium)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (16-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 ounces)
3 cups skim milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce, divided
Cooking spray
12 cooked whole wheat lasagna noodles, divided
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook 10 minutes or until onion is browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and spinach. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 3 minutes or until spinach is tender. Set aside.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, milk, salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a small saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add 2 cups milk mixture to spinach mixture. Cover remaining milk mixture, and set aside.

Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles over sauce; top with half of spinach mixture. Top with 3 lasagna noodles, 1 cup marinara sauce, and 3/4 cup cheese. Layer 3 more lasagna noodles, remaining spinach mixture, and remaining 3 lasagna noodles. Top with remaining marinara sauce. Pour reserved milk mixture over the top, and sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until lasagna is browned on top.

Pork Chops with Cinnamon Apples

1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon butter
4 cups (1/2-inch) slices peeled Granny Smith apples (about 4 medium)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of salt

Combine first 3 ingredients, and sprinkle over the pork. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add pork; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove the pork from pan. Cover and keep warm.

Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add apples and remaining ingredients, and cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Serve the apples with pork.