cherry cheesecake tartlets

My friend Annie made these darling, mouth-watering cherry cheesecake tartlets. Aren't they cute? I was pretty full after my huge plateful(s!) of dinner last night but had to have one. I went from pretty full to about to burst. These will be perfect for future Christmas parties, showers, picnics and any kind of party!

cherry cheesecake tartlets (my friend Annie found the recipe at Diana's Desserts)
1 1/8 cups graham cracker crumbs (see note below)
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened,
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling (see note below)

You will need:
standard size cupcake or muffin liners (and Annie used mini)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners into muffin tins.
In a mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and 2 tablespoons sugar; adding the softened butter to mixture until it forms small crumbs. Place approximately 1 tablespoon crumb mixture into each cupcake liner and pat it down.
Beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix thoroughly. Spoon a layer of cream cheese mixture on top of crusts; fill cups 2/3 full.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (shorter for mini cheesecakes like the photo). Let tartlets cool, and spoon cherry pie filling over the tops. Chill tartlets in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve chilled, and store any leftovers in refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Notes: Blueberry pie filling may also be used for the topping, if desired. Other cookies or biscuit crumbs can be used for the crusts of these little tarts instead of the graham cracker crumbs, such as Vanilla Wafer crumbs, Shortbread Cookie crumbs, Chocolate Wafer Cookie crumbs or Hazelnut Cookie crumbs. Makes 16.

mini peanut butter cup cookies

Leslie made these mini peanut butter cup cookies for us for our dinner last night. I'd seen them before and have always wanted the recipe. It was a very hot evening and the peanut butter cups started to melt creating a marvelously oozy chocolate peanut butter experience for anyone seeking an indulgent bite or two.

mini peanut butter cup cookies (my friend Leslie)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 bag mini Reese's peanut butter cups

Cream butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg and vanilla together.
Add flour and baking soda.
Form balls (a little smaller than a golf ball) and drop into mini muffin pan (greased).
Bake at 350 for 8-9 minutes.
Let cool 3-5 minutes in pan. Squish a peanut butter cup in each "muffin".

What Leslie has to say- hers began to melt after she put the peanut butter cups in so she put them in the fridge to firm up. They were super easy to get out of the pan after they were firm.

rio shredded pork

My friend Leslie made this pork for our dinner last night and she's an excellent cook. It is delicious! It's tender, sweet and rich and is excellent in tortillas or in a salad, just how Cafe Rio does it.

rio shredded pork (my friend Leslie)
1 cup salsa
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sprite or coke
3 pounds pork tenderloins, pork loin or other pork roast

Combine first three ingredients and pour over roast. Cook in crock pot on low for 6-8 hours. Shred meat for serving.

taco chicken

My friends Annie and Leslie and their families pampered my family with a very nice dinner tonight before our big move- Cafe Rio Style!  Annie made this chicken and Leslie made the Cafe Rio pork. 

taco chicken (my friend Annie)
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 packets taco seasoning1 cup chicken broth

Place in a crock pot and cook for hours. (I'll try to get some more specific directions like low or high and for how long)

red, white and blueberries

This is the kind of breakfast you'll want to have all long weekend long! Delicious. Make sure you have lots of waffles on hand. One is definitely not enough.  Happy Memorial Day!

red, white and blueberries
4 ounces light cream cheese, softened
8 ounces light sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
10 waffles, nice and hot
blueberries
strawberries, sliced

Combine first 3 ingredients with electric mixer until smooth. Place a waffle on your plate. Top with berries and top with yummy cream cheese mixture.

garlic chicken farfalle

This is a great recipe and I have my friend Erin K. to thank. When I told her I needed to cook for a big group last summer she suggested I make this recipe.

garlic chicken farfalle (Portland Mama)
16 ounces farfalle pasta
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3-4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon pepper (I used about half of this)
1/2 cup butter
1 pound bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 (12 ounce) bottle Lawry's mesquite marinade with lime juice

Place chicken in crock pot with bottle of marinade on low for 6 hours. Pull marinated chicken out of the juices, allow to cool a little bit and shred. Set this aside. About a half hour before serving, boil the pasta. In a small saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, whipping cream, pepper, cheese and bacon. Whisk together on low heat for 3-4 minutes. In a large bowl, pour over cooked, drained pasta, add chicken and stir though. Sprinkle a little bit more shredded Parmesan cheese on top.

snickerdoodle blondies

When this recipe came up on my Blogger dashboard today I knew I had to make this recipe right away. The ingredients are so basic there's no reason not to make them right away! Luckily, I hadn't packed my 13x9 pan because these are heavenly, especially when they're still warm from the oven. You'll want to make them pronto. The gal at Delightful Bitefuls describes these beautifully.

snickerdoodle blondies (blog: Delightful Bitefuls)
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsaltd butter, softened to cool, room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

cinnamon-sugar topping
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. LIghtly butter a 9x13x2 inch baking pan. Line with parchment paper and butter paper.
Mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
In large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth.
Add the flour mixture and mix until the flour is just incorporated. The batter will be thick like cookie dough.
Scrape batter into your prepared pan and spread evenly.
Make the topping by combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar topping evenly over the top of the batter. It will look like a lot, but trust me, it's perfect.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly before cutting (or as long as you can stand).

emeril's kicked up tuna sandwiches

These are the sandwiches I made for Melissa's shower. I don't know why I get embarrassed to admit this but I love tuna! I was happy to see my kids grab several of these and enjoy them as much as I do (they take after me and not their father in this respect). I've tried a lot of tuna recipes and this is by far my favorite.

emeril's kicked up tuna (Everyday Food Magazine, May 2010)
4 cans (5 ounces each) solid white albacore tuna pcked in water, drained
1/3 cup light mayonnaise, plus more for spreading
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
4 teaspoons capers, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
crusty bread

In a medium bowl, combine tuna, mayo, onion, capers, lemon juice, salt, pepper and oregano and stir until thoroughly combined. Slice crusty bread and put a spoonful on top of each slice.
The original recipe called for tuna melts. For a tuna melt, heat broiler with rack in highest position. Divide tuna salad evenly among 4 crusty slices of read then top each with 2 slices tomato and 1 slice provolone cheese. Broil until cheese is golden brown and bubbling, 3-4 minutes.

cucumber tea sandwiches

My friend Shannon made these sandwiches for the baby shower. She said her mother used to make them for her all the time. They were colorful, creamy and very refreshing.

cucumber tea sandwiches (my friend Shannon)
sliced pumpernickel bread
cream cheese
most of a packet of Good Seasonings Italian Dressing Mix
cucumbers, peeled and sliced
radishes, sliced

Combine cream cheese with Italian dressing mix to taste. Spread some cream cheese on each slice of pumpernickel bread. Add a slice of cucumber and slice of radish to each slice of bread.

Note from Shannon: Shannon said next time she would place a toothpick in the center of each sandwich.

chicken salad tea sandwiches

My friend Laura made these sandwiches for Melissa's baby shower. They were delicious. On the way home my oldest said, "Those chicken sandwiches were so good! I ate like 40 of them."

chicken salad tea sandwiches (my friend Laura)
picked chicken from large rotisserie chicken, chopped in food processor
10 sweet gherkins pickles, chopped finely
3-4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
a few dashes of salt
pepper
3 big scoops of mayonnaise, maybe 6 tablespoons
1 small onion, chopped finely
a splash of lemon juice, maybe 2 teaspoons

Combine all ingredients and chill until ready to spread on sandwiches. Laura used half wheat bread and half rye bread.

Note from Laura: She would have added chopped celery but didn't have any.

pink lemonade cupcakes

When I saw these cupcakes I knew I had to make them for something special. Today is that day! My neighbor friends and I are honoring our friend Melissa with a tea party baby shower at the park this afternoon and these should fit the theme quite well. They are dainty and girly and yes, they are quite pink.

pink lemonade cupcakes (blog: Amy's Cooking Adventures)
1 package white cake mix
1 small package instant lemon pudding, 4 serving size
1/4 cup presweetened pink lemonade mix
1 cup milk
1 cup canola oil
4 egg whites
10 drops red food coloring

Preheat oven to 325. Line two muffin tins with paper liners.
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase to medium speed and beat for another 2 minutes.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centers of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool completely. Makes 24 cupcakes.

pink lemonade frosting (my friend Nikki P.)
Don't do what I did and use presweetened pink lemonade mix in your icing. It turned out grainy. Instead, use my friend Nikki's pink lemonade icing recipe! Here it is:

3 cups powdered sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons pink lemonade concentrate
powdered sugar
red food coloring

green chile casserole

Tortillas, lots of cheese, ground beef and green chiles- I knew this casserole was going to be good and it was better than good. It was super good. I loved it and my kids really, really loved it.

green chile casserole (blog: Taste and Tell)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pound grated cheese (I used Cheddar)
1 cup milk
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
salt to taste
garlic to taste
1 tablespoon oregano
2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chiles
1 (10 ounce) package corn tortillas, each tortilla cut into eighths

Preheat oven to 350. In a saucepan, combine the soup, milk, and the cheese (reserving some cheese for topping the casserole). Once the cheese is melted, stir in the green chiles.
In a skillet, brown the beef with the onions. Add in the salt, garlic and oregano.
In a well greased 9x13 casserole dish, layer half of the tortilla strips. Spread 1/2 of the beef mixture on top, followed by 1/2 of the cheese mixture. Repeat layers. Sprinkle reserved cheese on top.
Bake in a preheated oven until heated through and cheese is melted, about 30 minutes.

What I have to say- I used half cream of mushroom soup and half cream of chicken soup and I think it added some depth. I also used whole wheat tortillas.

adirondack red wing burgers

These burgers were bad to the bone in a very good way. My 3-year old raved about them so that nobody could get a word in. She asked if we could eat them for a year and followed it up with, "I'm going to keep you." I think I'll keep her for her compliments.

adirondack red wing burgers (Every Day with Rachael Ray Magazine, April 2010)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 rib celery with leafy tops, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup blue cheee crumbles
4 deli slices Cheddar cheese
4 sandwich-size english muffins, toasted
1/4 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1/4 cup pickle relish

In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery, onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Reserve the skillet. Mix the chicken, dill and poultry seasoning into the vegetable mixture; season with salt and pepper. Form into 4 patties.
In the reserved skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the patties and cook, turning once, until firm, about 12 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add the butter to the skillet to melt, then stir in the hot sauce, turning to coat. Top each with some of the blue cheese and a cheddar slice. Tent with foil, turn off the heat and let stand until the cheese is melted.
Top each muffin bottom with some lettuce, a patty, some relish and a muffin top.

chap chee noodles

Hall of Fame. Always has been and always will be. My husband sat down and said, "Alright! My favorite." My kids counted how many servings I dished up (I was out of my chair more than I was in it). I've recommended this recipe to friends and the reports have always been stellar. We like to put lots of garlic chile sauce on our noodles, so much so that the four oldest in the family sniffle our way through dinner. Excellent way to clear your sinuses.

chap chee noodles (allrecipes.com)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 pound beef top sirloin, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced bamboo shoots, drained
1/4 pound napa cabbage, sliced
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
3 ounces cellophane noodles, soaked in warm water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

In a large bowl, combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sesame oil, green onions, garlic, sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon pepper (since I usually triple the meat, I triple these ingredients as well). Stir in sliced beef, and marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes. Heat wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, then drizzle with oil. Cook beef until evenly brown. Stir in carrots, bamboo shoots, napa cabbage and spinach. Add cellophane noodles, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cook until heated through.

roast beef wraps with dill slaw

This is a really good sandwich. Everything is just so good together. 

roast beef wraps with dill slaw (Food Network Magazine, June 2011)
3 cups shredded coleslaw mix
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (I used garlic flavored rice vinegar)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoon sour cream
2 tablespoons horseradish, drained (I used horseradish sauce)
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 pound sliced dill-flavored havarti cheese (definitely use havarti! I couldn't find dill-flavored so I used regular)
1/2 pound deli-sliced roast beef
4 whole wheat wraps

Make the slaw: Toss the coleslaw mix, dill, vinegar, sugar, mayonnaise, sour cream, horseradish, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in bowl. Layer the cheese, roast beef and slaw int he center of the wraps. Fold in the sides, then roll up tightly. Cut in half and serve with chips if desired.

baked oatmeal

I'm not a fan of warm, mushy oatmeal so this is the recipe for me! It was more like a warm blueberry muffin, not mushy at all and full of flavor.  It's delicious with fresh raspberries too.

baked oatmeal (blog: Your Homebased Mom)
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups old fashioned oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup fruit or nuts of choice

In a bowl mix together the butter, honey and eggs. Add in the oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, vanilla and the milk. Mix and then fold in fruit of choice.
Bake in a lightly greased 8x8 pan at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. May be served with milk and more fruit on top.

tortilla pizza

 
My kids love pizza. Any kind of pizza, really, except they never really liked English muffin pizzas. They've always loved tortilla pizzas so I thought I should add this to our family's collection of recipes. It's a quick and easy go-to lunch and I know they will eat every bite.

tortilla pizza
2 tortillas
couple spoonfuls of pizza sauce
handful of mozzarella cheese
6-7 slices of pepperoni

Place a tortilla in a grill pan. Spread one spoonful of sauce over the tortilla. Sprinkle a half handful of cheese on top. Place pepperoni slices on top of cheese. Sprinkle a half handful of cheese over the pepperoni. Before placing the second tortilla on top, spread a spoonful of pizza sauce on it.
Turn the stove on to medium low and flip halfway through.

What I have to say- if we're short on time I make "pizza pinwheels". I use one tortilla and place it on a dinner plate. I add the sauce, cheese and pepperoni on it. I put the plate in the microwave for about 45 seconds. I roll up the tortilla and cut it into little finger-sized pinwheels.

cheesy chicken

Attention cheese lovers. This chicken is what it says it is. It was really yummy. Really easy and yummy. My family enjoyed their chicken with mashed potatoes but I enjoyed mine with quinoa. The cashews in this dish are a must!

cheesy chicken (blog: Home Based Mom)
8 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/3 stick butter
2 ounces whole cashews
1 pound grated Monterrey Jack cheese

sauce
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/3 can beef broth
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon parsley flakes

Melt butter in a 9x13 dish. Lay chicken over butter. Cover with 3/4 of sauce. Bake 1 hour at 325. Add the rest of the sauce and cashews. Top with cheese. Turn oven off. Leave in oven for 5 more minutes.

What I have to say- I threw some mushrooms in and was glad I did. They were super flavorful. I happened to eat every last one of them in the entire dish. Maybe my husband got one or two. That's if he was lucky.

cajun shrimp salad

 This salad is from Alexander Hoover's restaurant called Hoover's Cooking in Austin. It is made with grilled or smoked shrimp and a spicy cream cheese dressing. Savor that! I sure did. I thought it was really, really delicious.
This salad is so good it might be Hall of Fame.

cajun shrimp salad (Saveur Magazine, April 2011)
2 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing (I used Greek Vinaigrette with Feta and Oregano)
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

Combine shrimp, dressing and 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning in a medium bowl; set aside. Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat, and add shrimp; cook, turning once, until just cooked, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
Stir cream cheese and mayonnaise in a large bowl until smooth. Add remaining Cajun seasoning, celery, scallions, lemon juice and parsley and stir until combined. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Serve on a freshly toasted slice of french bread or on a crisp lettuce leaf.

orzo with parsley and lemon zest

I was so glad Melissa made this side dish for the meal swap because I've never made orzo before. Now I will! This was a terrific, refreshing side dish. Perfect for a summer meal. I bet you could toss in any vegetables to your liking, too!

orzo with parsley and lemon zest (Melissa found this recipe at FoodNetwork.com)
1/2 pound orzo
coarse salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 large lemons, zested
black pepper
1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley, a couple of handfuls

Cook orzo in salted water about 12 minutes, to al dente. Drain orzo well. Do not run under cold water. You want the cooked pasta to remain hot. Transfer pasta to a serving bowl. Drizzle orzo with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add lemon zest and parsley and toss to combine the flavors with the pasta.

grilled fish tacos with chipotle lime dressing

I remember many years ago when a colleague of my dad's told him before taking our family on a trip to Southern California that we had to go to Rubio's for fish tacos while we were there. That's where I had my first fish taco and I loved it. This fish taco is exceptional. I went on an on about my fish taco so much so that my second daughter asked for a bite then wanted her own. My son was only interested in throwing food at his sisters and putting cottage cheese on his head.

grilled fish tacos with chipotle lime dressing (allrecipes.com)
marinade
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons lime zest
1 1/2 teaspoon honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon seafood seasoning such as Old Bay
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce or to taste
1 pound tilapia fillets, cut into chunks

dressing
1 (8 ounce) container light sour cream
1/2 cup adobo sauce from chipotle peppers
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons lime zest
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning such as Old Bay
salt and pepper to taste

toppings
1 package tortillas
3 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 bunch cilantro
1 small head cabbage, cored and shredded
2 limes, cut in wedges

To make the marinade, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, lime zest, honey, garlic, cumin, chili powder, seafood seasoning, black pepper and hot sauce in a bowl until blended. Place the tilapia in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over the fish. Cover and refrigerate 6 to 8 hours.
To make the dressing, combine the sour cream and adobo sauce in a bowl. Stir in the lime juice, lime zest, cumin, chili powder, seafood seasoning. Add salt and pepper in desired amounts. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil grate. Set grate 4 inches from the heat.
Remove fish from marinade, drain off any excess and discard marinade. Grill fish pieces until easily flaked with a fork, turning once, about 9 minutes.
Assemble tacos by placing fish pieces in the center of tortillas with desired amounts of tomatoes, cilantro and cabbage; drizzle with dressing. To serve, roll up tortillas around fillings and garnish with lime wedges.

yummy potatoes
Quarter a handful of tiny red potatoes and microwave them for a few minutes. Heat some oil over medium high heat and add the potatoes with 1 teaspoon Old Bay. They're delicious!

pool party cake

My oldest daughter is celebrating her birthday with a big pool party. We went online hoping to find a totally awesome cake and this is exactly what she wanted. It was a blast to make.
Did I tell you I do not like pool parties if I have to put my entire body in the pool? I must love her a lot. A lot lot because I anticipate having to get into a cold pool. Brrrrr....
This summer we'll be at the pool everyday for six weeks of swimming lessons. Fortunately I will be pool side or enjoying the zero entry pool getting only my feet wet and possibly my knees.

pool party cake (idea from FamilyFun.com)
1 white cake mix
1 container white icing
1/2 container chocolate icing
2 packages Keebler wafer cookies
blue food coloring
2 big gumballs
2 umbrellas
2 gummy rings
Polly Pocket dolls

Bake two round cakes as directed on the box. Place one cake round on a tray. Use some white icing to cover the round and place the other on top. Spread the chocolate icing around the sides of the cake. Place the wafer cookies around the sides of the cake. Mix some blue food coloring into the rest of the white icing and ice the top of the cake. Use lots of icing. Use the back of a spoon to to make decorative waves by pressing the spoon into the icing then back out again. Place gumballs, umbrellas, gummy rings and dolls into the cake as desired.

peanut butter brownie bites

When I saw these I knew I had to make them to so I made them for my daughter's birthday party knowing that after a good swim they'd need some birthday cake and refreshments. I don't need to tell you that they taste good as that's pretty obvious. Brownies and peanut butter cups! As my second daughter and I made them I was reminded of the cookies that we frequently watch being made as we come off the ride at Chocolate World. A lady takes ginormous cookies out of the oven, unwraps a king size Reese's peanut butter cup and places it in the center of the cookie then uses the palm of her hand to push it in then puts an icing drizzle over the top. I love to watch her smoosh those Reese's inside! Next time maybe I'll put a chocolate drizzle over the top of these!!

peanut butter brownie bites (my friend Camille's blog: Flipping Amazing)
1 box brownie mix
Reese's peanut butter cups

Mix up brownie mix as directed on the box. Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray. Fill each muffin tray shape half full with brownie mix, insert a peanut butter cup and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

ultimate chocolate brownies

We were fortunate to have two lemonade stands/bake sales in our neighborhood back to back. My friend Morgane used the recipe on the back of her Hershey's chocolate chips to help her son make these brownies that were divine. I think she was able to cut at least 16 brownies from an 8x8 pan. I've always told myself that box brownies were even better than from scratch but I've changed my mind.
(How many people buy a baked good then run home and take a photo? Crazy.)

ultimate chocolate brownies (Hershey's)
3/4 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup butter, melted and divided
1/2 cup boiling water
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Hershey's Special Dark chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350. Grease a 13x9x2 inch baking pan or two 8-inch square baking pans.
Stir together cocoa and baking soda in a large bowl; stir in 1/3 cup butter. Add boiling water; stir until mixture thickens. Stir in sugar, eggs and remaining 1/3 cup butter; stir until smooth. Add flour, vanilla and salt; blend completely. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan, 30 to 35 minutes for square pans or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

parmesan chicken (salad)

This salad has a zing to it that I love every time. My husband has had it before but said once again, "Wow this is good!".

parmesan chicken (salad) (my friend Erin R. shared it from her cookbook: Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook)
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 extra large eggs
1 1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs (I used Panko with some 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning this time)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
unsalted butter
good olive oil
salad greens for 6 washed and spun dry
lemon vinaigrette

Pound the chicken breasts until they are 1/4" thick.
Combine the flour, salt and pepper on a dinner plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon water. On a third plate, combine the bread crumbs and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides int he bread crumb mixture, pressing lightly.
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan and cook 2 or 3 chicken breasts on medium low heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken. Toss the salad greens with lemon vinaigrette. Place a mound of salad on each hot chicken breast. Serve with extra grated Parmesan.

lemon vinaigrette
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/2 cup good olive oil (I used 1/3 cup)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

almond cake bars

This recipe looked like a snap to make and my family is starting to expect a steady steam of baked goods so I figured we'd try this one. They are outstanding. 

almond cake bars (Hershey Ward Cookbook)
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons almond extract
sliced almonds

Mix butter and sugar together then add eggs. Add in flour and almond extract. Pour in 8x8 greased pan. Sprinkle almonds on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Do not over bake. Note: Double the recipe to fit in a 9x13 pan.

caprese burger

I've been in the mood for a burger and this one looked perfect for tonight. It was! The marinated tomatoes on top of this burger made it Hall of Fame! My youngest daughter said, "This is yummiest dinner in the whole world!" and she ate her entire burger. You won't be disappointed by this burger.

caprese burger (allrecipes.com)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (I used half the amount)
salt and pepper to taste
4 thick slices tomato
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup pesto sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 ounces fresh Mozzarella cheese, sliced
4 hamburger buns, split

Whisk the balsamic vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour over tomato slices to marinate. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
Mix ground beef, tomato paste, pesto, Parmesan cheese, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Form beef mixture into 4 equal patties.
Cook on the preheated grill until the burgers are cooked to your desired degree of doneness, about 5 minutes per side for well done.
Top each burger with mozzarella cheese; allow to melt. Serve on hamburger buns with marinated tomato slices.

What I have to say- I was sure glad I doubled the amount of tomatoes I needed. Next time I will marinate some rings of red onion along with the tomato!

spicy chicken soup

I made this soup a while back but it tasted better this time when my neighbor friend Laura made it for our meal swap. Everyone else's always tastes better! It's like a chicken taco soup. It wasn't very spicy as the name suggests but I'm sure it depends on the kind of salsa you decide to use. This recipe got 5 stars at allrecipes!
I made some quesadillas to go with our meal and burned them. My second oldest daughter said the prayer and said, "And thank you to mom for burning our cheese quesadillas because they taste better that way." AMEN.

spicy chicken soup (my friend Laura adapted it from allrecipes.com)
2 quarts water
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder.
2 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon onion powder
5 cubes chicken bouillon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (16 ounce) jar chunkly salsa
2 (14.5 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
2 (16 ounce) cans chili beans, undrained
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

In a large pot over medium heat, combine water, chicken, salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, onion powder and bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1 hour or until chicken juices run clear. Remove chicken, reserve broth. Shred chicken.
In a large pot over medium heat, cook onion and garlic in olive oil until slightly browned.
Stir in salsa, diced tomatoes, tomato soup, chili powder, corn, chili beans, sour cream, shredded chicken, and 5 cups broth. Simmer 30 minutes.

siberian pelmeni

My husband likes to tell our children he is Russian and because of his enthusiasm, he's quite convincing. He learned how to make pelmini when he spent some time in Russia several years ago. Our family loves when he cooks Pelmeni for us and we eat them until we're about to burst (you wouldn't believe how many my oldest ate tonight). Pelmeni are like ravioli. They are very simple and absolutely delicious. The best ravioli you'll ever taste and of course the most fresh!

siberian pelmeni
1 egg
flour
2/3 cup water
pinch of salt

Mix and knead the dough ingredients together. Refrigerate for 5-6 hours. Roll o9ut using a rolling pin to tortilla thickness and cut into circles about 2 1/2 inches in diameter.

filling
1/2 pound ground lamb, beef or pork (he always makes beef)
1 medium onion, diced
minced garlic to taste
salt and pepper to taste

toppings
tomato sauce
shredded cheese
smetana (Russian style sour cream)

Mix the filling ingredients together and put a bit into each circle of dough. Fold the circles in half like little tacos and crimp the edges together decoratively. Freeze the pelmini. Place the pelmeni in boiling water with an onion and a laurel or bay leaf. Some prefer frying the pelmeni in a little butter after boiling (a must for us!). Serve hot, topped with tomato sauce, shredded cheese and/or smetana (Russian style sour cream).