Strawberry Popsicles

Dice up about 1/2 lbs of strawberries, put them in the food processor, and add about a 1/3 a cup of sugar (adjust sugar amount according to preference). Once its blended, pour the mixture into muffin tins, Put a popsicle stick/toothpick in each one, and freeze!

Fruit Dip

Ingredients:
1-8 oz. package cream cheese softened
1-8 oz. tub cool whip
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together.  Dip favorite fruit in and enjoy!

Strawberry Lemonade Bars

Source
Crust
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

Filling
1 cup fresh lemon juice
2-3 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup pureed strawberries (about 3/4 cup berries)
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.

Begin by making the crust.  In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter, until smooth and fluffy. Working at a low speed, gradually beat in flour and salt until mixture is crumbly. Pour into prepared pan and press into an even layer. Bake for about 17 minutes, until set at the edges.

While the crust bakes, prepare the filling.  In the bowl of a food processor, combine lemon juice, lemon zest, strawberry puree, sugar and eggs and process until smooth. Add in flour, baking powder and salt, then pulse until smooth.

Gently pour the filling over the hot crust when it has finished baking. Return pan to oven and bake for 23-26 minutes, until the filling is set (There will be a light colored “crust” on top from the sugar in the custard – nothing to worry about).

Sprinkle the bars with some powdered sugar.  Cool completely before slicing and use a damp knife to ensure clean slices.  Store bars in the refrigerator, especially on a hot day.  Makes 24 bars.

Chicken Ranch Pillows

Ingredients:
2-3 chicken breasts
8 oz. cream cheese
2 pkg. crescent rolls
2 tsp salt
1 ranch dressing mix (or make your own mix as I did: 2 Tbsp parsley, 1 tsp dill, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion flakes, 1/2 tsp basil, 1/2 tsp pepper)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Boil chicken with 1/2 in. of water covering the chicken and add salt. Boil about 10-15 minutes on medium high. When water froths, check to see if chicken is done. Drain and rinse briefly with cold water. Shred chicken. Add cheese by thirds into chicken. Add ranch dressing mix. Roll out crescent rolls and scoop a Tbsp of chicken mixture on large part of the triangle and roll up. Bake 11-14 minutes.

Sopapilla Cheesecake Pie

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sopapilla-cheesecake-pie/detail.aspx

Ingredients

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract
• 2 (8 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls

• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup honey

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Beat the cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar and the vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth.
3. Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough, and use a rolling pin to shape each piece into 9x13 inch rectangles. Press one piece into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, then cover with the remaining piece of crescent dough. Stir together 3/4 cup of sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Dot the mixture over the top of the cheesecake.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle with honey. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 squares.

Chicken Rolls

1  8-oz. package cream cheese 4 cups cooked cubed chicken
¼  cup butter, softened           (about 5-6 breasts)
⅛ tsp. pepper                                 1 4-oz. can mushrooms (stems and pieces)
2 cans crescent rolls                   1 cup bread crumbs
½ cup melted butter or marg.

Cream together cream cheese, butter and pepper, fold in chicken and mushrooms.  Roll out rolls, place ¼ cup mixture in each. Seal edges by pinching together.  Dip into melted butter and roll in bread crumbs. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 325 for 30-40 minutes. Top with gravy.

Gravy – 2 cans cream of chicken soup and ½  can of milk per can. Heat until desired temperature or make your own gravy from chicken broth.

Serve with mashed potatoes.

* For freezing, prepare chicken rolls without gravy, let cool, and freeze.  Can be warmed in microwave for a quick meal!

Striped Delight

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup margarine
1-8 oz.  package cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
20 oz. Coop Whip (works better than whipped cream)
2 small packages  chocolate pudding mix
3 cups milk

Directions:
1.Blend 2 cups flour and 1 cup margarine.  Press into 9x13 pan.  Cook at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until light brown. Cool.

2.  Soften 1-8 oz. package cream cheese at room temperature.  Beat until soft.  Add 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, and 8 oz. of Cool Whip.  Spread on cooled crust.

3. Mix 2 small (or 1 large) package of chocolate instant pudding with 3 cups milk.  Spread on top of cream cheese mixture.

4. Top with 12 oz. of Cool Whip (and nuts if desired)

Keep Refrigerated.

Strawberry Cream Puff Cake

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2009/10/strawberry-cream-puff-cake.html

Ingredients

Cream Puff Base:
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2/3 cup flour
• 3 eggs
Cream Cheese Mixture:
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar

Directions

1. For the cream puff layer, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bring the butter, water and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the flour all at once and stir quickly until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and stir the mixture until smooth. Let cool for 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until the mixture is shiny with a satiny sheen. Don’t overbeat. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan (or in a pinch, you could use a 9-inch circle cake pan). Using an offset spatula, spread the mixture on the bottom and one inch up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and prick pastry with a toothpick 10-12 times. Return to the oven and bake 5-10 minutes more until golden brown but not overbaked (you can insert a toothpick into the center and if it comes out with sticky dough, it still needs longer in the oven). Cool completely.
2. For the cream cheese mixture, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar (if you want to ensure there are no lumps, sift the powdered sugar into the cream cheese) and beat with the cream cheese until mixture is smooth and light. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread onto the cooled cream puff shell.
3. Top with fresh sliced strawberries (I mixed 2 cups of strawberries with 1 teaspoon sugar and let them hang out in the fridge while I was prepping the cake) or you can use a 16-ounce bag of frozen strawberries that have been thawed. Mix the thawed strawberries and juice with 1-2 teaspoons sugar and bring to a simmer in a saucepan. Cook until slightly thickened. Cool completely and use as topping for the cake.

Crisp Coconut and Chocolate Pie

http://gourmetfood.about.com/od/dessertrecipes/r/Crisp-Coconut-And-Chocolate-Pie.htm

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Makes 1 9-inch pie.

Ingredients:

• for the crust

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 11 ounces (about 6 cups)sweetened shredded coconut

• for the filling

• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 61 percent cacao), finely chopped

Preparation:

1. Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a food processor, process butter and one-third of coconut until mixture forms a ball, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Sprinkle remaining two-thirds coconut over mixture, and combine with your fingers.
2. Place a 9-inch pie plate on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Press coconut mixture into bottom and up sides of pan to form crust, leaving top edges loose and fluffy. Place a foil ring (see page 324) over edge to prevent burning. Bake until center begins to brown, 10 to 15 minutes; remove foil, and bake until edges are browned, 4 to 6 minutes more. Transfer crust to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Make the filling: Bring cream just to a boil in a small saucepan; pour over chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Let sit 10 minutes, then stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is combined. Pour into coconut crust. Refrigerate until filling is set, 1 hour or up to 1 day.

Chocolate Potato Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup mashed potatoes       2 cups sugar
2 cups unsifted flour               ½ cup milk
2 oz. chocolate*               1 t. vanilla, 1 t. salt
¼ t. baking powder               1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup shortening (add to spuds, hot) 4 eggs

Directions:
Add shortening to potatoes.  Mix sugar, chocolate and eggs.  Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, add nuts.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

*I did 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Cran-Pistachio Cookies

Original Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (1 lb 1.5 ounce) pouch Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix
• 1 box (4 serving size) pistachio instant pudding and pie filling mix
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup dry roasted salted pistachio nuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• optional - green food coloring (I didn't add any but if you wanted them extra green you could)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl stir cookie mix, pudding, and flour. Add melted butter and eggs and stir until incorporated.
3. Add pistachios and cranberries and mix well.
4. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and slightly flatten with fingertips.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes. The only way you can ruin these cookies is to overbake them! If you bake them too long you will lose the soft texture and they won't be as green. They will not look done but take them out and let them sit on the pan for about 2 minutes. Trust me.
6. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Microwave Popcorn

Healthy Popcorn Recipes

Cookie Dough Dip

Original Recipe

*I added 1/8 MORE peanut butter and 1 cup rolled oat that I pulsed in a food processor. I also used extra dark chocolate chips. Enjoy!

• 1 1/2 cups chickpeas or white beans (1 can, drained) (250g after draining)
• heaping 1/8 tsp salt
• tiny bit over 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup nut butter of choice (You can get away with using only 3 tbsp. If you use peanut butter, some people say it has a slight “pb cookie dough” taste, so you can sub oil if you don’t want that.)
• 1 and 1/4 cups pitted dates (I used SunMaid, from a regular grocery store)
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips (see link below, for sugar-free option)
• 2 tbsp oats (You can omit if desired.)
• milk of choice as needed (depending on the consistency you want. I used a few tbsp.)

In a bowl, cover the dates with 1/2 cup water. Let this sit for at least 8 hours. Then add all ingredients (including the dates’ soaking liquid), except chocolate chips, to a food processor (for best results, not a blender) and blend until very smooth.
If you wish, you can use: Sugar-Free Chocolate Chips.
This can be served as a dessert dip, as a spread (maybe in between apple slices or crackers?), eaten with a spoon, mixed into oatmeal, stuffed into cupcakes, or even used to top pancakes!

Hummus

·  2 cups of canned garbanzo beans/chick peas OR 1 cup of dried beans/peas.

·  1 1/2 T Olive Oil

·  1 1/2 T Tahini (sesame seed paste) If you don't want/have/use tahini, just use oil or water in stead.

·  1 jumbo garlic clove (or small if you're a hater of garlic. I used a jumbo one in the batch I brought)

·  1/4 t salt

·  1/4 cumin

·  3 T fresh lemon juice (or bottle...whatever you have)

I soak my dried beans over night and then cook them on the stove top on medium low heat for an hour or until you can mash them easily between your fingers.

In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients. Then taste it. If it's bland, add a dash more salt. If it's too thick, add water or oil until it reaches the texture/smoothness you like. I like mine SMOOTH! OR add more  lemon juice if you like it to have a kick. I always double this recipe becausehummus freezes well and well, I love this stuff!

If you're feeling crazy and want variation try adding some cilantro or roasted red peppers, etc. We use hummus on our sandwiches/wraps/as a dip for veggies and pita chips.

Double Peanut Butter Cookies

sunspire.com (with alterations)

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time:10 min

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup unbleached white whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 Stick unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup Natural Peanut Butter
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup SunSpire™ Peanut Butter Baking Chips
• Opt. Chocolate Chips

DIRECTIONS

Prepare 4 baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat oven 350F.
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt, set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the sugar and both butter’s together until smooth and light in color, beat in egg. Slowly add flour mixture, beating until smooth and just incorporated, Stir in morsels.
Drop dessert spoon full onto prepared baking sheets, about 3 inches apart and 6 per sheet. Bake for 9-10 mins or until lightly golden and remove from oven to cooling rack, leave cookies to cool slightly before removing cookies to cooling rack to cool completely.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies with Mint Buttercream Frosting

(AKA Brownie Cookies, as Rick calls them.)

8 ounces semisweet chocolate bars, chopped (Chocolate chips work great!)
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I always add 1/2 cup instead of 1/4)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Mint Buttercream Frosting:
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 or 2 drops green food coloring
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
Instructions:

Cookies: Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Line baking sheets with wax paper. (This is important. If not done, the cookies are extremely difficult to remove after baking.)

Melt chopped semisweet chocolate bars in pan on low, stirring until melted and smooth. Set aside.

Stir together sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla in a large bowl. Add melted chocolate and mix well. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt till blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by level tablespoons onto wax paper-lined baking sheets about an inch apart. Bake 10 minutes until puffed and set. (The dough isn't as "thick" as traditional cookie dough. No worries, keep moving forward!)

Cool on baking sheets about 2 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely. They will take on the appearance of brownies when you pull them out of the oven: a reflective top.

Frosting: Beat all ingredients until smooth and fluffy. Frost cookies.

Super tasty with out frosting. AMAZING with frosting!

Makes 24-30 cookies.

Candy Cane Cookies

Allrecipes.com

Ingredients 

1 cup margarine

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon red food coloring

1/2 cup peppermint candy canes, crushed

1/2 cup white sugar for decoration

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine, white sugar and confectioners' sugar. Beat in the egg, vanilla and peppermint extracts. Combine the flour and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until well blended. Cover or wrap dough and chill for at least one hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Divide dough into halves. Color one half red by mixing in the food color. Roll a small amount of each dough into a 2 inch long worm. Roll them together in a twisted rope and curve the end like a cane. Place onto prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. In a small bowl, mix together the crushed candy cane and remaining white sugar. Roll hot cookies in the sugar mixture.

Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles
3 3/4 c flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 c butter
2 c sugar
2 eggs
1/4 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
Plus 3 tbs cinnamon to roll dough in.

Mix all ingredients together well, will be sticky. Roll in to small balls and roll in cinnamon. Bake 350 10-12 minutes

Carrot-Coconut Cookies

Carrot-Coconut Cookies

1 cup mashed cooked carrots (about 4 medium)

¾ cup sugar

1 cup shortening (part margarine or butter, softened)

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup shredded or flaked coconut

½ recipe Orange Butter Frosting

Heat oven to 400°.  Mix carrots, sugar, shortening and eggs.  Stir in flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir in coconut.

Drop dough by teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake until almost no indentation remains when touched, about 8 minutes.

Immediately remove from cookie sheet; cool.  Frost with Orange Butter Frosting.

About 5 dozen cookies

Orange Butter Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup margarine or butter, softened

About 2 tablespoons orange juice

2 teaspoons grated orange peel

Mix powdered sugar and margarine.  Stir in orange juice and peel; beat until frosting is smooth and of spreading consistency.

Dinner Rolls

KitchenAid Sixty-Minute Dinner Rolls
Adapted from a recipe found on The Bumbling Baker
Erin’s Note: This recipe yields 24 large dinner rolls. If you don’t want 24 rolls kicking around your house I would definitely halve the recipe.
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons butter
3 packages of dry active yeast (Erin’s Note: This equals 6 3/4 teaspoons if you use yeast from a jar).
1 1/2 cups warm water (105F – 115F)
5 – 6 cups all-purpose flour
In a small saucepan, stir milk, sugar, salt and butter together. Heat over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool until lukewarm.
Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed mixer bowl. Add lukewarm milk mixture and 4 1/2 cups flour to yeast mixture, and using a dough hook, mix on low speed for about 1 minute. With the mixer still going, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and mix about 1 1/2 minutes, or until dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl. Knead on low speed for about 2 more minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic – the dough will still be slightly sticky to the touch.
Place dough in a greased bowl, turning it to grease the top. Cover the dough with a clean, dry dish towel, and let it rise in a warm place, free from draft, for about 15 minutes.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 24 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball, and place in a greased muffin pan. Using kitchen shears or a pizza cutter (a knife will also work), cut each ball in half, then in quarters, and replace in the muffin pan. (Erin’s Note: Alternatively you can simply shape the dough into 24 balls and set them into a greased 9 by 13 baking dish. If you make the full recipe you will only be able to fit around 12 rolls in the baking dish at a time). Cover the muffin pan with the dish towel, and let the dough rise for about 15 minutes.
Bake at 425ºF for 12 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown. Remove from pans immediately, and cool on wire racks. (Erin’s Note: At this point, in my family, we always brush the tops with a little butter).