Oreo Truffles

36 whole Oreos (finely ground in the food processor)

1/2 c of EITHER cream cheese or creamy peanut butter

Mix until it all comes together into a dough.*

Roll into balls and refrigerate until firm.

Dip in chocolate or dust with powdered sugar or cocoa powder.

*Don't lose heart! You're going to think you did something wrong, that's it's too dry, and that there's not enough cream cheese/peanut butter in there, but just have faith and keep going. All at once it will just happen!

Pasta Fagioli

Brown until onions are translucent:

1 # ground beef or turkey

1 small chopped onion-finely chopped

3 large garlic cloves-minced

1 TBS oregano

2 TBS parsley

Salt and Pepper to taste

red pepper flakes (Optional. I don't use them)

Add and bring to a boil:

2 reg sized cans of Italian Stewed tomatoes that you've run through the blender

1 reg sized can of beef broth

Add and cook until pasta is done:

1 can kidney beans (or white beans)-drained

1-2 c of dry elbow macaroni

When pasta is done, add 1/2 bag fresh spinach (optional) and simmer for up to an hour. It's good then but it's even better the next night and the next!

Serve with liberal amounts of FRESH Parmesan (not Kraft in the can, the stuff you have to grate yourself. It's worth it!), crusty bread and a salad! YUM!

Black Bottom Mini Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecakes

From The Picky Palate blog:


Black Bottomed Mini Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites

8 whole Oreos, finely ground in food processor

1 1/2 Tablespoons melted butter

8 oz softened cream cheese

1/2 Cup granulated sugar

1/2 Cup pumpkin puree (I used Libby’s)

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

3 Litehouse Lowfat caramel dip (comes in a package of 6 20z little cups)

12 Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses, unwrapped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine ground Oreos and melted butter into a bowl until well combined. Spoon into 12 mini cheesecake cups that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Press into the bottom of each cup so the crust is flat. Partially bake for 10 minutes then remove from oven.

2. In a stand or electric mixer beat the cream cheese, sugar and pumpkin until smooth. Beat in egg, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg until combined. Pour evenly into the 12 cups filling about 3/4 way full. Spoon about a teaspoon of caramel into the tops of each filled cup and swirl with a toothpick gently. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until cheesecake is cooked through. Let cool completely.

3. Remove cheesecakes from pan and top each with a spoonful of remaining caramel and a Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kiss. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

12 mini cheesecakes
(My mini cheesecake pan makes 6 of the slightly larger cheesecakes and the recipe still worked fine.

Monkey Bread

This is a fun, fast recipe to make. I'm taking it in to work tomorrow to appease the masses since I've been out the last couple of days.

Monkey Bread
Cut each biscuit in three 10 oz cans of refridgerated biscuits* into quarters.

In large saucepan, combine and melt together

• 1 c butter
• 1 1/2 c brown sugar
• 2 TSP cinnamon
• 1 c chopped pecans or walnuts
• In buttered Bunt pan:
  

Sprinkle a sparse bit of the nuts and syrup in a greased bundt pan just for topping.

• Sprinkle in 1/2 of the biscuit pieces.
• Slowly pour 1/2 of the syrup over biscuits.
• Sprinkle the other half of the biscuit pieces over the syrup layer.
• Finish by pouring the rest of the syrup over the top.

Bake at 300° for 45 minutes. Let sit in the pan for 7 minutes and then invert onto serving plate. Can cut with a knife or just pull parts off like a monkey!

Can cut with a knife or just pull parts off like a monkey!


*Of course I could only get four 7 oz cans and it worked just fine.

Soft Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

1 pkg. (2-layer size) devil’s food cake mix
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Place ingredients in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 min., then beat on medium speed 1 min. or until mixture pulls away from side of bowl and forms soft dough.

Shape into 1-inch balls. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets. Flatten each ball, in criss-cross pattern, with tines of fork dipped in sugar.

Bake 7 to 8 min. or just until edges of cookies are set. (Do not overbake.) Cool on baking sheet 2 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

Makes about 44 cookies.

Banana Toffee Cupcakes

Banana Toffee Cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp almond extract
3 eggs
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 medium)
3/4 cup Heath toffee bits

Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F.
Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, almond extract and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds.
Beat on medium speed 2 minutes.
Add bananas; beat until smooth.
Stir in 1/2 cup toffee bits.
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
Sprinkle remaining toffee bits on top of each cupcake.
Bake about 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Immediately remove from pans to cooling racks.

Taco Salad

Taco Salad
Brown 1-11/2 # of ground beef until cooked thoroughly-drain and rinse.
Add 1 packet of taco seasoning and follow directions on back of packet by adding water etc like you would to make tacos.

Meanwhile in a huge bowl place:

1 head lettuce-shredded
1 small onion-diced
2 medium tomatoes-chopped
1 can of ripe olives-sliced
1 can of dark kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
2-3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Jalapeños is you like them (I don't!)

Then add meat and toss thoroughly with one small bottle of French salad dressing.
Serve with crushed nacho cheese Doritoes. Optional-Serve with salsa and sour cream on the side.

Blueberry Lemon Pizza

1 roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough (softened)
8 oz cream cheese (softened)
2 TBS sugar
1 (6oz) container lemon yogurt
2 c blueberries
Lemon zest (optional)

Press cookie dough into greased pizza pan. Bake at 350° until golden brown 12-20 minutes. Let cool completely
Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add yogurt. Spread on cooled crust.
Sprinkle 2 c. rinsed cleaned, blueberries and grated lemon zest.


Refrigerate leftovers.

It would also be great with any other kind of fruit (raspberries, strawberries, peaches etc.)

Banana Chocolate Chip Wontons

Banana Chocolate Chip Wontons

Preheat oven to 350° and spray cookie sheets with butter flavored cooking spray.

Mash 2 ripe bananas
Add:
6 TBS mini chocolate chips
3TBS brown sugar

Drop the banana mixture by scant teaspoon onto 24 wonton wrappers.

Brush water around edges of wrapper and then fold each into a triangle sealing the edges as you go.

Place on cookie sheet and spray the tops with butter flavored cooking spray.

Bake 10-15 minutes until golden.


Remove to wire rack and when they are almost cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Fruit Squares

BASE
2 pouches of Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix ( 1 Lb. 1.5 oz each)
1 c butter or margarine (softened)
1/2 tsp almond or vanilla extract
2 eggs
Heat over the 350° and grease a 9 x 13 pan. Stir base ingredients together until soft dough forms. Press half of dough in bottom of pan.

FILLING
1 (21 oz) can pie filling of your choice
Spread filling over base

TOPPING
Drop remaining dough by teaspoons over filling
Bake 45-50 minutes or until golden brown. Cook 10 minutes

GLAZE
1 c pow sugar
1 TBS milk
1/2 tsp vanilla or almond flavoring
Stir until smooth (add additional milk 1 tsp at a time if needed until thin enough to drizzle over warm bars. Cool and cut.

Potato Soup

In large pot:

• 1 (30 oz) bag of frozen hash browns (I used Orida in little chunks-not shredded)
• 2 small cans of chicken stock and 1 and a half cans of water
• 1 small onion chopped
• 2 tsp garlic powder (or fresh minced garlic if you prefer)

Bring to boil and cook 10 minutes until potatoes and onions are really tender

Reduce heat and add:

• 2 cans cream of celery soup
• 4 oz Velveeta cheese

Continue to heat and stir until cheese melts.

Add:

• 1 c. of sour cream and heat through
• diced ham (if desired)

Top with shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon and chives.

Good with cornbread too!