Fresh Fruit Tart

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened and sliced

Filling:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:

• Fresh strawberries, kiwi slices, blueberries, raspberries

Glaze:

• 1 (6-ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• Whipped cream, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust: In a food processor, combine the confectioners' sugar, flour, and butter, and process until the mixture forms a ball. With your fingers, press the dough into a 12-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, taking care to push the crust into the indentations in the sides. Pat until the crust is even. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until very lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

For the filling and topping: Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Spread over the cooled crust. Cut the strawberries into 1/4-inch slices and arrange around the edge of the crust. For the next circle, use kiwi slices. Add another circle of strawberries, filling in any spaces with blueberries. Cluster the raspberries in the center of the tart.

For the glaze: Combine the limeade, cornstarch, lime juice, and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until clear and thick, about 2 minutes. Let cool. With a pastry brush, glaze the entire tart. You will not use all of the glaze.

Keep the tart in the refrigerator. Remove about 15 minutes before serving. Slice into 8 wedges and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

Ingredients

1 box of yellow cake (ex. Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Butter Recipe Golden Cake mix)
whatever ingredients the box instructs to make the cake

Topping/Swirl Ingredients

2 sticks cold butter
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat Oven 375°F

Whip up cake batter according to box directions and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, sugar, and nutmeg. Cut in butter until crumbly.

In a buttered and floured sheet pan, pour half of the cake batter and spread out evenly. Top with half of the crumb mixture. Pour remaining batter on top of crumb mixture evenly then top with the remainder of the crumb mixture.

Bake in the oven for 30-45 mins depending on the size of your pan and how quickly your oven cooks. Test cake after 30 minutes by sticking a toothpick or strand of uncooked spaghetti in the center, if it comes out clean you are done. Cake may be slightly wiggly in the center when you remove it from the oven, this is perfectly alright, so long as the toothpick comes out clean your cake is done. It will finish setting up while it rests and cools off.

Allow to cool and enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Lattes

2

cups milk

2

tablespoons canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1

to 2 tablespoons sugar (to taste)

1/2

teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1

tablespoon vanilla

1/2

cup hot brewed coffee

Garnish, if desired

Whipped cream

Dash pumpkin pie spice

2

cinnamon sticks

• 1In 2-quart saucepan, heat milk, pumpkin and sugar over medium heat until hot (do not boil). Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, the vanilla and coffee.
• 2Pour into 2 large mugs. Garnish each with whipped cream, dash pumpkin pie spice and a cinnamon stick.

Halloween Popcorn

Halloween Popcorn with Dark Chocolate

1 lb. plus 1 cup vanilla melts or 1 lb. vanilla melts and 1 cup orange melts

1 cup dark chocolate melts

16 Cs popped popcorn

2 C orange slice candy, cut into pieces

Halloween sprinkles

Pop popcorn and remove unpopped kernels.  Slice orange slices into six pieces.  Spray scissors with vegetable spray to keep them from sticking.

Melt 1 lb. of vanilla melts in microwave and pour over popped popcorn.  Stir well to coat.  Add in orange slices.  Stir again.

Spread mixture onto one or two cookie sheets into a nice even layer.

Melt dark chocolate melts and drizzle over popcorn mixture.    Drizzle over popcorn.  Add Halloween sprinkles if desired.

Allow to set up and then break into pieces.

*I added candy corn

Anniversary Treats

Revolutionary Berries

• 12 ounces white chocolate chips
• Strawberries

• Blue sugar or edible glitter

Instructions

1. Melt 12 ounces of white chocolate chips in a microwave according to the package directions (make sure the container and the berries are dry; even a little moisture will alter the texture of the candy).
   
2. One at a time, dip strawberries into the chocolate and then into blue sugar or edible glitter.
   
3. Set them to harden on waxed paper.
   
4. Makes 35 to 45 decorated berries.
   

Spicy Pasta

Spicy Pasta

1 lb. orecchiette pasta

4 tbsp. olive oil, divided

3 tbsp. chopped garlic

2 fresh jalapeno peppers, sliced thin, plus extra for garnish

2 cups of grated Gruyere cheese

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions.  Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.

2. Heat 2 tbsp.olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and jalapeno; saute 2 minutes.  Add cooked pasta; reserved water, 2tbsp. olive oil and cheese.  Turn heat to high. Sir constantly to keep cheese from clumping.  When liquid is evaporated transfer into bowls and garish with jalapeno.

*** wear gloves while slicing jalapeno

Blueberry Crisp

Ingredients

• For the Filling

  • 6 cups (3 pints) blueberries
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

• For the Topping

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats (or chopped nuts, such as almonds)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/3 cup sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make the filling: Mix blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt in a bowl. Transfer to an 8-inch square baking dish.
2. Make the topping: Stir together flour, oats, baking powder, and salt. Cream butter and sugar in a mixer until pale and fluffy. Stir dry ingredients into butter. Using your hands, squeeze topping pieces together into clumps.
3. Sprinkle topping evenly over filling. Bake until bubbling in center and brown on top, about 1 hour. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Crockpot Pork Chops

4 Bone in/Thick cut pork chops
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 envelope dry pork gravy mix
1 1/2 cups chicken broth

First place the pork chops down in the bottom. The remaining four ingredients will be mixed in a mixing bowl and then poured over the top of the meat. Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours. Such a tasty, simple recipe... ENJOY!

Macadamia Nut cookies

I haven't forgotten about my food blog..  We are just trying to eat healthier so that means less baking..  however an occasional cookie here and there never hurt anyone :)

Baked Ziti

* I used a crock pot for this recipe.  I cooked the pasta and layered according to the recipe.  High for about 2 hours.  I omitted the hamburger meat.  This was SO good!

Ingredients

• 1 pound dry ziti pasta
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
• 6 ounces provolone cheese, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.
2. In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer as follows: 1/2 of the ziti, Provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted. 

No Bake Sugar Free Cheese Cake

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (.6 ounce) package sugar free lemon flavored gelatin
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 (8 ounce) package reduced fat cream cheese
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup frozen light whipped topping, thawed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and cinnamon. Mix well and press into the bottom of a 9 inch square pan. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
2. Dissolve lemon gelatin in boiling water. Let cool until thickened, but not set. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Blend in lemon gelatin. Fold in whipped topping.
3. Pour filling into crust. Sprinkle top with graham cracker crumbs. Refrigerate over night.