Birthday Cheesecake Dip

Cheesecake Cake Batter Dip 

Ingredients:
8 oz package of cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup sour cream
½ cup white cake mix
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup sprinkles
Graham Crackers for dipping

Instructions:
Place cream cheese in your mixing bowl and beat on medium high speed for 3 minutes, or until it becomes light and whipped.
Bring speed down to medium and add the sour cream and vanilla, mix until incorporated. Slowly add the powdered sugar and cake mix to the bowl and mix until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and then gently fold in the sprinkles.
Serve cold with graham crackers, pretzels, or fresh fruit slices. Enjoy

Christen's Spinach Artichoke Dip

20 oz frozen spinach, thawed
2 cans artichoke hearts, quartered 
1 jar of alfredo sauce  - either garlic flavored or as many cloves of roasted garlic as you like
2 cups mozzarella, shredded
1/2 to 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (more=thicker dip)
1 oz softened cream cheese

Mix first 5 ingredients together, then dot with cream cheese. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes. I usually stir once to incorporate the cream cheese throughout. Serve with tortilla chips.

Lemon-Orange Orange Roughy

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 (4 ounce) fillets orange roughy
• 1 orange, juiced

• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
  
  

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange fillets in the skillet, and drizzle with orange juice and lemon juice. Sprinkle with lemon pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, or until fish is easily flaked with a fork.

Red Velvet Puppy Chow

Ingredients

5 C. Rice Chex cereal

3/4 C. white chocolate melts or chips

1/4 C. chocolate melts or chips

2 oz cream cheese, room temp

1 1/2 Tbsp. milk

1 C. Red Velvet Cake mix

1/2 C. powdered sugar

Valentines colored M&M's or other candies

Heart sprinkles for extra decoration and cute-ness

Directions

1. Measure out Rice Chex cereal and place into a large bowl.

2. Place cake mix and powdered sugar into a large plastic bag or tupperware with a lid.

3. Melt chocolates together in the microwave or on the stove top. Careful not to burn and stir until smooth.

4. Stir in cream cheese and milk (the chocolate will get thicker, but it's okay)

5. Pour chocolate over Rice Chex cereal and stir until coated.

6. Dump cereal into the bag or tupperware with powdered sugar and cake mix. Shake, shake, shake until coated.

7. Dump onto a cookie sheet and let cool.

8. Mix with extra colorful candies and serve!

NOTE: Because of the cream cheese, keep in the fridge if you won't be eating them that day. You can also omit the cream cheese all together if you wish...if you do that, you don't need the milk either!

Trout

• Kosher salt
• Lemon pepper
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• 1 ounce fresh dill weed sprigs
• olive oil
• Sweet Hungarian paprika
  
  bake at 375 for 25ish minutes

Best Pork Chops Ever

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon oil
1 boneless rib end pork loin roast, cut into 6 generous 1-inch thick chops, each chop pressed lightly with fingertips to flatten
Salt and ground black pepper
1/4 cup flour measured into a pie plate or other shallow pan

Directions
Heat the butter and oil in an 11 to 12-inch skillet over low heat. While the pan is heating, sprinkle the chops on both sides with salt and pepper, then dredge them in flour.

A couple of minutes before sauteing, increase the heat to medium-high. When the butter stops foaming and starts to smell nutty brown, arrange the chops in the skillet. Cook, turning only once, until they are a rich golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from skillet.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

2 cups onion, chopped

4 tablespoons butter, divided

12-16 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced 

1 tablespoon tamari (can substitute soy sauce)

1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika

2 teaspoons dried dill weed

2 cups chicken stock or water, divided 

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons lemon juice (I like fresh lemon)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sour cream

Freshly ground pepper to taste

In a Dutch oven or small soup pot sauté onion in 2 tablespoons of the butter until onions are clear. Next add mushrooms, tamari, paprika, dill weed and 1/2 cup of chicken stock. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make a Bechamel. In small sauce pan melt 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk in 3 tablespoons flour and cook for several minutes. Next add milk. Cook, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes until mixture thickens. Stir into mushroom mixture and add remaining 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock. Cover and simmer for 15 more minutes.

Just before serving add lemon juice, sour cream, salt and pepper. (Note: Soup should only be gently heated once sour cream has been added, do not boil after this point).

Mexican Corn

Grill corn on the cob (or fry up in skillet) and slather the stuff right on the corn. 

Corn

Cojita cheese

Mayo

Lime

Chili pepper

Cilantro and/or green onions are both good options.

Serve cold.

Chocolate Fudge Buttercream Frosting

5 1/3 c. powdered sugar
2/3 c. cocoa powder
2/3 c. butter (10.5 Tbls.)
1/2 c. milk

Whip to appropriate texture.

Sugar Cookies

1.5 cups softened butter
3 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
5 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Monkey Squares from Janae

Monkey Squares

Ingredients

Banana Bread Bars:
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 ¾ cups (3 or 4) ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Browned Butter Frosting:
• ½ cup butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
• about 3 tablespoons milk or half and half

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour 10x15 jelly roll pan or line with parchment paper (for thicker bars use a 9x13 pan). Beat first four ingredients until creamy. Blend in bananas and vanilla for one minute. Add dry ingredients and blend for one minute. Stir in nuts and spread in pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool slighty until warm but not hot and frost with Browned Butter Frosting (recipe below).
2. For the Browned Butter Frosting: Heat butter in saucepan over medium heat past the melting point until it is boiling and a delicate brown. Remove from the heat and immediately add the remaining ingredients. This should be thicker than a glaze and thinner than frosting. Using a spatula smooth over the top of the Monkey Squares immediately. The frosting will be easier to spread once it's on the warm bread.

Banana Bread

1 c. sugar
1 stick room temp butter
2 large eggs
3 ripe bananas
1 Tb. milk
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 325 and grease loaf pan.

Cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In small bowl, mash bananas with a fork.  Mix in milk and cinnamon.

In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until combined.  Add dry ingredients, mixing just until flour disappears.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 60-70 minutes.  

Pineapple Chili

ingredients

• 1
  pound ground pork or beef
• 1
  16 ounce jar pineapple salsa
• 1
  15 ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1
  8 ounce can tomato sauce
• 1
  tablespoon chili powder
• Pineapple slices (optional)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  directions

  1.In 3-quart saucepan brown pork; drain. Stir in salsa, beans, tomato sauce, and chili powder. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Serve with pineapple slices.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Test Kitchen Tip:

  • If you can't located pineapple salsa, use regular salsa and add 1/3 to 1/2 cup crushed pineapple.

South of the Border Pork Chops

4 Tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 yellow bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
one 28-32 oz can crushed tomatoes with juice
1 tsp. ancho chile powder
six 1-inch thick pork loin chops

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onions, bell peppers, cumin, sugar, salt and pepper and saute until the onions start to turn translucent, about 10-12 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and stir to combine.  Transfer to crock pot and set on low.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the skillet over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle the chile powder evenly over the chops and add to the skillet.  Brown the chops on all sides and transfer to crock pot.  Submerge them as much as you can in the pepper/onion mixture.

Cover the crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours, until the pork is tender.

Serve the pork chops with the sauce.

Publican Waffles

http://chicago.grubstreet.com/2009/10/drown_your_olympic_sorrows_in.html

The Publican’s Waffes With Honey Butter  Recipe adapted from Becky Broeske
Makes 8 cups of batter (10 to 16 waffles)

4 large eggs
1 3/4 cups warm water
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus a pinch for the honey butter
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups whole milk, heated to 100°F
1/2 packet active dry yeast
3 sticks unsalted butter, 1 stick softened
1/4 cup honey
Pearl sugar (you can substitute chopped sugar cubes)
Powdered sugar, for dusting

1. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the warm water and salt. Add the flour and 2 tablespoons sugar in four additions, whisking a&er each addition until smooth. Whisk in 1 3/4 cups warm milk.
2. Pour the remaining 1/4 cup warm milk over the yeast and let sit for 10 minutes before adding to the batter. Melt 2 sticks butter, let cool to room temperature and whisk into the batter.
3. Pour the batter into a container at least twice its size. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
4. Make the honey butter: Blend the softened stick of butter with the honey and a pinch of salt.

5. Heat a waffle iron and add the batter. Sprinkle the batter with a small handful of pearl sugar and cook according to manufacturer’s directions. Sprinkle the waffle with a dusting of powdered sugar

Almond Crusted Tilapia

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs 1 teaspoon lemon pepper 1 teaspoon garlic pepper 1 cup ground almonds 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 8 (6 ounce) tilapia fillets

1/4 cup all-purpose flour for dusting 6 tablespoons butter salt to taste 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 8 sprigs parsley 8 lemon wedges

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Beat the eggs with the lemon pepper and garlic pepper until blended; set aside. Stir together ground almonds with 1 cup of Parmesan cheese in a shallow dish until combined; set aside. Dust the tilapia fillets with flour, and shake off excess. Dip the tilapia in egg, then press into the almond mixture.
2.	Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook tilapia in melted butter until golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium, and season fillets with salt if desired. Sprinkle the tilapia with the remaining Parmesan cheese, cover, and continue cooking until the Parmesan cheese has melted, about 5 minutes.
3.	Transfer the tilapia to a serving dish, and garnish with parsley springs and lemon wedges to serve.

Ghiradelli Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

-8 oz Ghiradelli chocolate chips
-7 oz Ghiradelli Peppermint Bark Bars, chopped
-4.5 Tbls. butter
-2 eggs
-3/4 c. sugar
-1/2 c. flour
-1/2 tsp. baking powder

Melt chocolate chips with butter.  Cool slightly.  Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add chocolate mixture.  Blend flour and baking powder   Stir in chopped Peppermint Bark.  Chill dough in fridge at least 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cook for 10 minutes (in our stove).

Note from Gina: Best.  Cookies.  EVER.   :)

Super Easy - Crusty Bread

3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. yeast
1 3/4 tsp. salt
1.5 c water


In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast.  Add water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 - 24 hours.  Overnight works great.  Heat oven to 450 degrees.  When the oven has reached 450 degrees place a cast iron pot with a lid in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape into a ball.  Cover with plastic wrap and let set while the pot is heating.  Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough.  Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes.  Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool. 

Voila!

Add-ins are what make this bread fun.  Roughly 1 cup of cheese, roughly 1 tsp. of seasonings, roughly 1/3 c of nuts/raisins/etc.  All to taste, though.

Ideas:

Jalapeno Cheddar
Cinnamon Raison
Etc.

Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

yield: 6

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup onion, diced

4 ribs celery, chopped

4 large carrots, peeled and cubed

6 cups good quality chicken broth

3/4 lbs. chicken breasts, cubed

1-6 oz. box Uncle Ben’s Long Grain & Wild Rice

1 1/2 cups half and half (I used fat free)

1/3 cup all purpose flour

plenty of salt and pepper

Directions:

In large pot, heat butter and olive oil. Sautee onions, celery and carrots on medium low heat for 10 minutes to soften. Season vegetables with salt and pepper. Pour in chicken broth and cubed raw chicken. Raise temperature to medium high heat to poach chicken in cooking liquid. Once chicken has cooked and become opaque, pour in rice and seasoning packet that came with the rice. Cover and reduce heat to simmer lightly for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. In small bowl, whisk cold half and half with flour until smooth. Pour into soup pot and reduce heat completely to low. Cook 10 minutes or until rice is softened completely and soup has thickened slightly. Taste and season accordingly. Serve hot

Brussel Sprouts w/ Pine Nuts & Bacon

2 lbs brussel sprouts, cored and shredded
1/2 lb bacon
2/3 c. pine nuts
1/4 c. butter
3 green onions, minced
1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons grease, crumble and set aside.
2. In the same skillet, melt butter in with reserved bacon grease over medium heat. Add pine nuts, and cook, stirring until browned. Add Brussels sprouts and green onions to the pan, and season with seasoning salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until sprouts are wilted and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in crumbled bacon just before serving.

Pumpkin French Toast Bake

Ingredients:
3 1/2c 1-inch bread cubes
7 large eggs
2c milk
1t vanilla extract
1 1/2t pumpkin pie spice
1/4c pumpkin puree
3-4T brown sugar

*Cut bread into 1-inch cubes, use 5-7 slices sandwich bread (I used 7).
*Spread into greased 9x13 baking dish.
*In large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin puree until well combined.
*Pour over bread and push down with a spoon until soaked and covered.
*Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight.
*In the morning, preheat oven to 350.
*Uncover and top with brown sugar.
*Bake 35-45 mins
*Serve immediately with syrup or honey

Pumpkin Pancakes w/ Cream Cheese Syrup

Pumpkin Pancakes w/ Cream Cheese Syrup

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 egg

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons vinegar

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a separate bowl. Stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Cream Cheese Syrup

3/4 cup cream cheese frosting 

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk, or more to taste