Easy Cheesecake

Real cheesecake takes time and patience- and I rarely have much of either, so this is my favorite go to fast, easy, and delicious cheesecake recipe courtesy of my good friend Alison.

8 oz. softened cream cheese
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Mix all ingredients until smooth. Pour into a graham cracker crust and chill a few hours until set up. Serve with your favorite fresh fruit or fruit topping.

Southwest Eggrolls

I've been meaning to make this recipe for quite some time and I finally got around to it this past weekend.  I'm glad I did, because these little eggrolls are delicious!  They even tasted great as a leftovers the next day!  I left out the cayenne pepper because I don't like my food too spicy.

For the egg rolls:
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1-15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1-9 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry with paper towel
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
1-7oz can diced green chiles, drained
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 package of egg roll or wonton wrappers

Preheat oven to 425F. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

In a large bowl mix together corn, beans, spinach, cheese, chiles, onions, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Using a small spoon, scoop a small amount of filling onto the wrapper. Starting at a corner, carefully start to roll the wrapper. When it’s slightly rolled, tuck in the two side and continue rolling to the last point. Wet your finger with water and dab a bit on the corner to seal the egg roll. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling, placing them slightly apart on the baking sheet.

Lightly spray the tops of the egg rolls with cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes, flipping them at least once during baking.

For avocado ranch:
3/8 cup mayonnaise
3/8 cup sour cream
3 Tbs buttermilk
1/2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 green onion, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1 avocado, peeled and pitted

Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth. Use immediately.

Easy White Cake

I had to make a bunch of cupcakes for a baby shower this week and didn't want to use a plain old boxed mix.  So I went to my favorite recipe blog Our Best Bites and found this adjusted box recipe that I tried out.  It turned out great!  It was super easy, but definitely had a more homemade taste and texture.

Easy White Cake

1 box white cake mix (Duncan Hines super moist is best)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 tsp salt
4 egg whites
1 1/3 cups water
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract (use clear vanilla if you want a pure white cake)
1 tsp almond extract

Mix all dry ingredients with a whisk, then add wet ingredients. Beat for two minutes until fluffy.

For Cake: Pour into greased, floured pans (fills two 8 or 9″ rounds) and bake according to cake package directions.

Tip:  When cakes come out, cool for 5 minutes on wire rack, then cover with two sheets of plastic wrap (in a “+” sign), turn them out and wrap the plastic around them. Allow to cool all wrapped up (keeps the moisture from evaporating out) then pop in freezer on a cutting board to keep them flat. Once they are frozen, they are super easy to frost and defrost in about a half an hour.

For cupcakes: fill paper liners 3/4 full and bake according to box directions.  Makes 36 cupcakes.

Mom's Banana Bread

My Mom has been making this delicious banana bread for years and it's just so yummy.

Sometime I buy a few extra bananas and leave them around to go brown just so I can make this!

Heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Grease one loaf pan.

Sift together:

2 cups flour

1 tsp. soda

1 tsp. salt

Cream together separately:

½ cup softened butter

¾ cup sugar

beat in two eggs, mix until foamy

mix in 2 cups of mashed bananas (4 bananas)

Add the flour mixture in 2 additions

Bake 1 hour  and 10 min. at 350 degrees 

Crisp Waffles

We had these waffles for breakfast in Idaho a few months ago.  They tasted great to me so I got the recipe and we've made them a few times since.

2 eggs
1 3/4 c. milk
1/2 c. butter, melted
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups flour

Heat waffle iron.  Beat eggs until fluffy.  Beat in remaining ingredients until just smooth.  Pour batter into center of hot waffle iron.  Bake until steaming stops. about 5 minutes.  Makes 3- 10 inch waffles.

Maple Glazed Carrots

Everything tastes better coated in sugar!  Right?  My kids certainly think that cooked carrots taste better that way.  This is our favorite way to prepare them!

2 pounds carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

4 tbsp. butter

3 tbsp. maple syrup

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tbsp. fresh parsley or you can use dried

Use a steamer to cook sliced carrots until tender.  Drain water and return carrots to pan.  Add butter and stir gently until melted.  Add brown sugar, syrup and parsley and saute gently for 2-3 min.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Be amazed at how fast these carrots disappear from your dinner table!

Herbed Sourdough Stuffing

I know it's been months, but Thanksgiving this year was a small affair at my house.  My dear Mom did the turkey (thank goodness-I really hate dealing with raw meat), but Justin and I did most of the rest of the meal.  We decided to try some new and different recipes just for fun.  My Our Best Bites Savoring the Seasons recipe book has a recipe for herbed sourdough stuffing that I decided to try and it turned out fabulous.  Definitely different that the type of stuffing we usually have. I'll certainly be doing it again though!

1 pound sliced rustic sourdough bread, cut into 1 inch squares
8 tbsp. butter
1 c. diced celery
1 med. onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
6 tbsp. minced fresh sage (I didn't use fresh and it was still great)
1 tbsp. minced fresh rosemary or 1 tsp. dried crushed rosemary
1/4 tsp. ground marjoram
2 medium lemons ( you need 1/4 c. juice and 2 tsp. lemon zest)
1/4 c. fresh minced parsley
1 c. chicken broth, more as needed


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spread bread cubes on baking sheet and toast 10-12 minutes until lightly toasted.
Turn oven down to 350 degrees.
Melt butter in skillet, then add celery, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Saute 6-7 min.
Add sage, rosemary, and marjoram and cook another 2-3 min. til everything is tender.
Add lemon zest and juice and parsley to mixture then toss together with bread pieces in a large bowl.
Slowly add chicken broth while tossing.
Place in a 9x13 baking dish and bake for 20 min.  After 20 min. gently toss, then bake another 20 min. until lightly browned on top.  Cover with foil it too brown.

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

I found this recipe on Pinterest.  It originally came from LDS Living's website and it's delicious!

Lemon Crinkle Cookies 
Makes 2-3 dozen

Ingredients:
½ cups butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 whole egg
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoons baking powder
⅛ teaspoons baking soda
1-½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cups powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease light colored baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice. Scrape sides and mix again. Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly. Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte {not melty or shiny}. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

*If using a non-stick darker baking tray, reduce baking time by about 2 minutes.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

My twins requested spaghetti and meatballs for their big family birthday dinner in the fall and since I didn't feel like I could serve everyone noodles covered with Ragu I went searching for a fabulous homemade recipe.  Of course, the first place I looked was my favorite site Our Best Bites and they didn't let me down.  I found this fabulous recipe and it was a huge hit!

Spaghetti and Meatballs
Recipe by Our Best Bites

Italian Meatballs:
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 lb. Italian sausage (I would have preferred less sausage I think)
1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. dehydrated onion
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. parsley
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt*

*If you want, you could substitute all the Italicized ingredients with 3 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning found here.

Gently combine meatball ingredients in a medium bowl. Shape into balls, whatever size you like, but I prefer using my standard cookie scoop (about 1 Tbsp.) to shape meat into balls and then rolling it between my hands to make them even more round. Place on a broiler pan

and broil until the meatballs start to brown–I actually use my toaster oven. Just because I can. Remove from oven and set aside until ready to use (or freeze for later use).

Sauce
1 large onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
Olive oil
2 28-oz. cans crushed tomatoes
16 oz. tomato sauce
1-2 Tbsp. sugar (to taste)
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of baking soda (to help neutralize the acid)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant. Add remaining sauce ingredients and combine well. Bring to a simmer and add meatballs. Simmer on low, uncovered, until desired consistency is reached–about 25-30 minutes for a sauce that’s of medium consistency (my husband, bless him, likes it very thick while I like it a little on the thin side. Whatever will we do??)

Serve over hot spaghetti (shhhhh…I used linguine!), maybe with some breadsticks and some freshly grated Parmesan on top. Serves a lot–like probably 12 regular people or 2 teenage boys.

FREEZER MEAL INSTRUCTIONS:
Prepare meatballs as directed, but divide the meatballs among two freezer-safe containers. Prepare sauce through adding all ingredients to the pan, but don’t simmer; rather, divide the sauce among the two containers. Freeze until ready to use. When ready to use, place in slow cooker and cook on low for about 5-6 hours, although you’ll want to keep an eye on the sauce and make sure it’s not burning if you go for the whole 6 hours.

Chocolate Cake Roll

Unlike me, my husband isn't a big cake eater.  However, this is his favorite!  This recipe came from my mother-in-law Derra Ball.

3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. water

2 pints of whipping cream
1/2 c. powdered sugar

Line a sheet cake sized pan with foil and grease the foil.  Pam spray with flour works great.
Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt- set aside.
Beat eggs for 5 min. or until very thick.
Add sugar gradually to eggs.
Blend in water and vanilla on low speed.
Gradually add flour mixture.  Beat until smooth.
Bake 13 min @ 375 degrees.
Invert cake onto a towel that has been sprinkled with powdered sugar and remove foil carefully.
Gently roll cake while still hot and cool on a wire rack.
Whip cream while waiting for the cake to cool.  Add 1/2 c. of powdered sugar to cream.
When cake is cool, unroll and remove towel.
Spread whipped cream onto cake and roll again.  Reserve some whipped cream for serving.
Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar and serve within a few hours.

Mushroom Rice Pilaf

This is a Ball family favorite.  It's quick to prepare, easy, and delicious.

1/2 c. butter
2 cups rice
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped celery
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
32 oz. chicken broth
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. salt
pepper
1/2 c. chopped parsley

Feel free to play with the quantities a bit! It tastes good lots of ways.  Sometimes I add chopped carrots. I often leave out the mushrooms.  The celery and onion give it lots of flavor though, so I always use those!

Melt butter.  Add rice and stir.  Add onion, celery, and mushrooms and saute for 5 min.  Add liquid and additional ingredients and simmer for 25-30 min. until rice is tender.  Tastes great served with a favorite chicken or fish dish.

I always make mine in a rice cooker and just throw everything in and press start!  Super easy!

White Corn Salsa

My awesome neighbor Jessa brought this over as a gift years ago and it's been a family favorite ever since!

1 can black eyed peas, drained

1 can white corn, drained,

1 package Italian dressing mix

1 avocado, chopped

2-4 green onions or chives, chopped

5 roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped (I prefer less)

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and serve with favorite tortilla chips.  Best if eaten immediately.  Makes about 4 coups of salsa.

Chicken Stronganoff

The last time that we were in Idaho, Justin's Mom made this yummy little recipe for dinner.  Justin and I loved it and the kids seemed to think it was all right as well.  We'll definitely be making it around here from time to time.  It originally came from the Taste of Home cooking site.

• 4 bacon strips, diced
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 jars (4-1/2 ounces each) sliced mushrooms, drained
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika
• Pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• Hot cooked noodles
• Additional paprika, optional

• In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings; set bacon aside.
• In the drippings, cook the chicken, onion and mushrooms until the chicken is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add the broth, salt, paprika, pepper and bacon. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Combine flour and sour cream until smooth; add to the skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with noodles. Sprinkle with paprika if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes

I finally got around to making this recipe out of my Our Best Bites cookbook and it was fast, easy, and delicious!

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (I used fresh roma's from the garden)
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
3-4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
8 ounces farfalle or bowtie pasta
1/4 cup pine nuts (we didn't have this)
1/2 cup pesto
1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and bring a large pot of water to boil.
2.  Place tomatoes and mushrooms on a foil-lines baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Toss gently with fingers to ensure it's all coated.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.  Cook for 12-15 minutes or until tomatoes look plump and some of the skins just start to split.
3. When the water comes to a boil add 2 tsp. of salt and pasta to the water and cook.
4.  While pasta is cooking place pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat.  Stir frequently until nuts turn golden brown and look slightly glossy, about 7-9 minutes.
5.  Toss hot drained pasta with pesto and Parmesan cheese.  Top with tomatoes and mushrooms and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.

Ranch Potatoes

Ignore the odd name (I didn't know what else to call these), these potatoes are hands down some of the best potatoes I've ever had in my life!  And as a huge potato fan I feel qualified to say that! I got this delicious recipe from my dear neighbor Lesley and I'd make them for dinner every night if I could.  Yes, they're that good!

6-8 russet potatoes, peeled and diced into  bite sized cubes
1 cube real butter, melted
1 package dry ranch dressing mixture

Boil cubed potatoes in a large pot until they are just starting to get tender.  If overcooked, they'll be a mushy mess, so err on the side of undercooked here.  Drain and mix with melted butter and ranch dressing.  Spread out on a sheet pan and pop in the oven to bake until they start to get slightly browned and crispy!

Sugar Cookie Bars

I made these for a church social this summer and they were a huge hit!   The only problem is that all of my favorite things to make don't qualify as dinner or health food.  I found this recipe on Real Mom Kitchen's blog.

1 cup butter; room temp.
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. soda

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg.  Add vanilla and mix well.  In a separate bowl combine flour, salt and soda and stir with a whist to combine.  Add to wet mixture and mix until just combined.  Spread on a greased baking sheet (use a 13x18 pan). Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 min., until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool completely and frost.

Frosting
1/2 cup butter, room temp.
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 tbsp. milk
food coloring (if desired)

For frosting combine butter and shortening until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and salt.  Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined, then add milk and mix until smooth.  Spread over cooled cookie.

Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip

My neighbor Tami, who's always cooking up something delightful, brought this delicious dip to a neighborhood BBQ.  I wanted to eat the whole thing--it was so yummy!  She made some fabulous bread to go along with it, but says it's great on crackers as well.  I ate it with some tortilla chips someone brought and it was super good that way!  I'm gonna be making some of this soon! 

1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen spinach, thawed, drained

3/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

3/4 cup KRAFT Light Mayo Reduced Fat Mayonnaise

1/2 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

HEAT oven to 350°F. Mix all ingredients; spoon into 9-inch quiche dish or pie plate.
BAKE 20 min. or until heated through. Serve with Triscuit Reduced Fat Crackers and assorted cut-up fresh vegetables. Can also serve with baguettes, focaccia bread, or tortilla chips.

Million Dollar Chocolate Cake

I got this recipe at a Relief Society meeting a couple months ago.  I finally got around to giving it a try and it was pretty good. I'm not usually a fan of homemade cake because it tends to be so heavy.  This was heavier than the mixes I usually use, but still pretty good and the raspberry filling and the ganache topping were awesome!

Million Dollar Chocolate Cake

1 c. boiling water
3/4 c. cocoa
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
2 eggs
1 3/4 c. flour
1/4 c. cornstarch
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. any combination of buttermilk, plain yogurt and or sour cream
1 t. vanilla
raspberry preserves (I used freezer jam)
1 c. cream
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips (I used semi sweet)
Sprinkles (if desired)

Pour boiling water over cocoa and stir until smooth. Set aside.
Cream butter 1 minute, then add sugar. Cream 3-5 minutes (may still be a bit crumbly).
Add in eggs and mix another 2 minutes.
Pour flour, cornstarch, powder, soda, and salt. Whisk well until it looks "lighter" or you could sift!
Add the dry ingredients and sour milk alternately to creamed mixture. (I did 3 dry and 2 wet). Mix well, but do not over mix.
Beat in cocoa and vanilla until well combined.
Bake in 2 greased and floured 8 inch cake pans. Bake for 25 minutes at 375 degrees.

Cool for 5 minutes, then turn out on a cooling rack. Cool completely.

When cooled, even out cake tops with a serrated knife (this allows you to "sample!)
Lay first cake right side up and spread with raspberry jam. Use as much or little as you want!
Top with the next cake upside down.

Put chocolate chips in a bowl and set aside. Heat cream in a saucepan until it simmers.
Pour hot cream over chips and let sit 5 minutes.
Stir until combined. Let sit 5 more minutes.
When cooled, slowly spoon over cake, seeing that it drips over to cover the edge!

Let set 5 minutes.
When done, place a cookie cutter on the cake and sprinkle with colored sugar.
Use a spoon to get to the edges. When filled in, lift off cookie cutter.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

One of the local restaurants has the yummiest lettuce wraps!  When I found this recipe on one of my favorite sites, I knew I had to try it!  It's so yummy!  And pretty easy too!

Asian Lettuce Wraps
Recipe by Our Best Bites


2 tsp canola oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 lb ground chicken*
3 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped (about 8 small mushrooms)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 C bagged coleslaw mix or thinly shredded cabbage
1 8oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained, rinsed, and finely minced
1/2 C thinly sliced green onions
4 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced (about 3-4 Tbs juice)
1/2-1 tsp sriracha or other hot sauce (1 tsp of Sriracha is fairly spicy in my opinion, so if you want less or no kick, just give it a little, or you can leave it out completely)
1/3 C roughly chopped cilantro
1-2 heads iceberg lettuce

*To prepare your own ground chicken, cut boneless skinless chicken breasts into large chunks and pulse in a food processor until ground.
*Callie's note: I had my local Macey's grocery store grind some chicken breasts for me!

Dipping/Drizzling Sauce
4 Tbs soy sauce
4 Tbs rice vinegar
3 Tbs water
2 tsp honey
1-2 tsp finely minced fresh ginger

Heat a very large skillet to medium-high heat on the stove top.  When hot, add vegetable  oil and then garlic and ginger.  Saute for about 30 seconds, until fragrant, and then add ground chicken, chopped mushrooms, and kosher salt.  Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until chicken is cooked through.  (*At this point, sometimes I have some extra liquid in the pan from the chicken.  If it’s quite a bit, I tilt the pan and spoon it out so the chicken can cook and not boil.) Add cabbage/coleslaw, water chestnuts, and green onions.  Cook for about 2 minutes, until cabbage starts to wilt.  Add soy sauce, sesame oil, the zest from the lemon and the lemon juice, and hot sauce to taste.  Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
To prepare dipping sauce, combine all ingredients and whisk to combine.
To serve, carefully remove the individual leaves from the head of lettuce.  (The closer you get to the center, the easier it becomes!)  Place chicken mixture in the leaves and serve with sauce.
Yield: about 5 C chicken mixture.  Makes 14-16 lettuce wraps.

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Article printed from Our Best Bites: http://www.ourbestbites.com

URL to article: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/04/asian-lettuce-wraps/

Creamy Mints

My Mom used to make these little mints for special occasions when I was a little girl.  I loved them then and I still love them now!  This isn't her recipe, but  the end result is very similar.

Creamy Mints
30 minutes, makes about 3 dozen candies


3 tbsp. reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 tsp. mint extract
4-4 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
about 1/4 cup granulated sugar


1. Beat the cream cheese until soft and fluffy (2 min.) Add the mint and desired food coloring and mix until well blended.
2. Add confectioners sugar, 1/2 a cup at a time, until it forms a stiff mixture.
3.  Form balls with about 1/2 tsp. of  mixture.  Roll in suar and flatten with thumb or fork tines or press into mold. Store in the fridge.


Here's a second recipe I found online.

Barrington Mints
Makes 150 mints

Ingredients:
8 ounces soft cream cheese (I used Philadelphia regular)
6 tablespoons soft butter (I used unsalted)
3/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract (NOT mint extract)
2 pounds sifted powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 drops red food coloring (Mine is pretty strong, so I used only one)

Method:
Melt the cream cheese with the butter in a heavy 3-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.  Turn off the heat, leaving the pan on the burner, and stir in about 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, food coloring, and vanilla. (My note: Add peppermint here as well.)  Stir in the rest of the sugar until well blended.

Line a large baking sheet with wax paper.  Push mint mixture into a pastry bag, icing syringe or squeeze bottle with a decorative tip.  Create desired shapes for mints.  Let set 1 hour.

Store between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month, or in the freezer up to 4 months.  Do not store at room temperature.

Mexican Bean Dip

This is for you Emily!

1 can of refried beans
1-2 ripe avocados, remove seed and skin and completely smash the fruit, add a little lime juice (lemon works too)
1/2-2/3 cup sour cream mixed with a tbsp. or so of taco seasoning (start slow, taste it, you can always add more)
1-2 cups shredded cheese
2 finely diced tomatoes
sliced olives
finely sliced green onions or chives (I prefer chives, less of an aftertaste)

Spread in order listed above on a dinner sized plate or small platter.  Serve with your favorite tortilla chips and enjoy!

Butternut and Apple Harvest Soup

Justin found this recipe online and whipped it up for dinner last night!  I thought it was fabulous!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large potato, peeled and cubed
• 2 cups cubed butternut squash
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
• 1/2 cup light cream
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in leeks and onions, and cook until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Add potato, squash, carrots, apple, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes.
2. Carefully puree the soup in batches in a blender, or use a stick blender to puree the soup right in the pot. Once the soup has been pureed, return it to the pot and stir in wine and cream. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper; simmer gently for 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped chives.

Chocolate Cut-Out Cookies

My favorite recipe blog has done it again!  They've provided me with another fabulous recipe that I know I 'm going to be using over and over again!  This time it's a cookie recipe!  When I saw this post on the chocolate gingerbread shaped skeleton/mummy cookies I knew I had to try it!  So today my second grader's class gets to make mummies for a Halloween treat during their Halloween party.  But, because I couldn't take cookies to school that had not been properly taste-tested, I've already eaten a sufficient number of cookies to be able to say that these chocolate cookies a delish!  And super simple to whip up too!  I got 24 gingerbread men out of one batch of cookie dough, because I wasn't quite sure if that was enough (dang big classes at our school), I made a second batch and made a few extra gingerbread men then put the rest of the dough in the freezer for another day.  Hopefully it freezes well!

Chocolate Cut-Out Cookies
Recipe slightly modified by Our Best Bites from Cookie Craft via Bake @ 350
Ingredients:
2 & 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. cocoa powder (dutch-process or natural works)
1 cup (2 sticks) regular salted butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla


Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment or a silicone baking mat if you have either of those.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light an fluffy (1-2 full minutes). Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined.
Whisk flour and cocoa powder together and then slowly add to the butter mixture by spoonfuls with mixer at low speed. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
Lightly dust rolling surface with coco powder or flour or a mixture of both.  (I use cocoa powder).  Roll dough about 1/4 inch thick.  It helps to roll soft dough in between sheets of plastic wrap or parchment and then place them in the fridge for about 15 minutes (or the freezer for 5-10) until firm.
Cut out shapes and place on baking sheets.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, until set.  Sometimes it’s hard to tell with chocolate cookies when they are done, so just watch for the dough to not look “wet” anymore and the edges should be holding their shape nicely.
Let cookies cool for 2-3 minutes and then use a spatula to place them on a cooling rack.

Muffins that Taste Like Donuts

Cake donuts are some of my favorite treats and this recipe tastes very similar.  I found this yummy recipe on a blog somewhere.  I finally got around to mixing them up a week or so ago and the kids loved them--so did I.  We'll definitely be making these over and over!  Oh...I would be happy if I could have muffins for breakfast everyday!

Muffins:
1 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup milk

Topping:
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
2-3 tsp. of cinnamon


Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.Combine oil, sugar, egg, and milk. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir til just combined.  Spray muffin tins or use cupcake liners and evenly distribute batter between 12 spots. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a bowl.  Combine sugar and cinnamon in another bowl.  Remove muffins when done and shake from pan while still hot.  Dip muffins in butter, then in the cinnamon sugar.  Let cool a bit then eat and enjoy!

French Bread or Buns

I'm in love with this easy bread recipe from my Our Best Bites cookbook!  I've been making it to eat with BBQ chicken sandwiches this summer and they taste great together!


French Bread, Hoagies, and Buns

1 Tbsp. yeast

1 1/2 c. warm water

1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

4-5 1/2 c. flour

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 egg, separated

2 Tbsp. cold water

Go to OurBestBites.com for the instructions!  My only notes are that I don't let it rise anywhere near the amount of time mentioned in their instructions.  Every time I've tried, it's fallen when I put it in the oven and that does not make for great bread.  So I just let it rise in a warm place until it has risen to a bit more than double each time. Secondly, I don't think I've ever come close to using the 5 1/2 cups of flour.  My dough is usually just past sticky at about 4-4 1/2 cups, so be careful and add the flour slowly.  Finally, I can get a lot of hamburger buns out of this recipe.  Anywhere from 12-24 depending on the size.  24 is great for kids and just a cute little sized sandwich.  Bigger works great for adults with bigger appetites. I have yet to try to make a loaf of French bread with this recipe.  Maybe I'll try that next!