Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Well here is my first post! I hope it doesn't disappoint! My husband and I have been trying to do the whole diet thing, but I am a sugarholic & can't live without it! So when I found this low-fat, low calorie recipe, I had to try it!

3 cups sliced fresh strawberries

6 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese

2 cans (12 oz. each) fat-free evaporated milk

1 can (14 oz.) fat-free sweetended condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup reduced-fat whipped topping

1. Place the strawberries in a blender or food processor; cover and process until smooth. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add evaporated milk and condensed milk, vanilla and pureed strawberries; mix well. Fold in whipped topping.

2. The original recipe says to fill your ice cream maker two thirds full & refrigerate remaining mixture until ready to freeze. But all of my mixture fit in my maker with a lot of room to spare so I just did it all at once. Freeze according to your ice cream maker's directions. Allow to ripen in ice cream freezer or firm up in your refrigerator freezer for 2-4 hours before serving.

I did not use fat-free sweetened condensed milk because I couldn't find any (does it really exist?). So my version has a few more calories than the original which was 234 calories for 3/4 cup. I poured my ice cream into a large tupperware container & freezed it in my freezer. I tried it before I stuck it in the freezer, it tasted like a really thick smoothie. It was really yummy, but it was even better frozen! It reminded me a little bit of frozen yogurt. My boys gobbled it up & begged for more. I didn't even feel guilty giving them an extra scoop, and I didn't feel too guilty taking one myself!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2-3 lb pork roast (thawed)
Small bottle of BBQ Sauce (Sweet Baby Ray's or KC Masterpiece Original)
1/4-1/2 cup honey
1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp water
Slices of smoked provolone cheese
French bread or french rolls (tougher bread doesnt get soggy as fast)

Put the water in a crock pot. Put thawed roast in the crock pot. Pour BBQ Sauce all over the roast. Pour honey on the roast. Sprinkle brown sugar on the roast. Cook on low for 4 hours. Turn the roast over. Spoon some of the sauce on top. You can put some more honey and brown sugar on top if you want (I do). Cook on low for 4 more hours. Shred pork when done. Put on bread or a roll with 1-2 slices of cheese on the meat, it melts a little and is so yummy!!! This is just as good as or better than Cafe Rio's sweet pork!!!

Homemade Thin Mint Cookies

I just made these for our Girls Night tonight.

I can't wait to share them!!!

They're perfectly crisp in the middle just like the

REAL THING!

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Original recipe taken from Bakingbites.com

However, I did change it up a bit.

makes about 4 dozen

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Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1/3 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1/2 a block of chocolate almond bark

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In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, cocoa and salt. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add milk and extracts. Mixture will look curdled. Slowly add in the flour mixture until fully incorporated.

Shape dough into two logs about 2 inches in diameter, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for 1-2 hours, until dough is firm.

Preheat oven to 375. Slice dough into 1/4 inch slices or less and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. You can place them pretty close together because they don't spread while baking.

Bake for 13 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before dipping in chocolate.

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Chop up your almond bark and place it in a mug. Heat in the microwave for 60 seconds, stir and continue cooking for another 30 seconds. Stir it up again. Dip your cookies into the chocolate and use a fork to remove. Let excess chocolate drip off. Place on foil or parchment paper to cool and harden.

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Personally, I love to eat my thin mints frozen.

They are delicious!

Spiced Coffee Cake

I'm not sure where you draw the line between breakfast and dessert, but this is worth making for both.

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Adapted from Better Homes and Garden
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2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup butter, margarine, or shortening

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2 eggs

1 1/3 cups buttermilk (or substitute sour milk)

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)

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Grease bottom and sides of a 13x9-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl combine flour, brown sugar, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; set aside 1/2 cup. Stir in baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg into remaining crumb mixture. Add eggs and buttermilk. Pour into prepared pan. Combine reserved crumb mixture and nuts; sprinkle over batter.

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Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm.

Upside-Down Apple Pie

Let me preface this by saying: This is the best apple pie recipe - my new favorite! Basically, you make a praline layer on the bottom of the pie plate, lay out pie crust on top, add apples, top with pie crust. Then after baking, flip it over onto a serving dish and let all that caramelly goodness run onto and seep into the pie! MMMMmmm! As we speak, I am eating a piece leftover from yesterday and I think it might even be better today than it was yesterday! Next time you buy a bag of apples that sit in the refrigerator not getting eaten... peel em, chop em, and make this delicious apple pie!

Excuse the messy pictures... but my kids (and my husband) kept sneaking their forks (and fingers) into the pie to get one more bite. It was sure tasty!

Ingredients:

Double Pie Crusts (I cheated and bought)

6 tablespoons butter, melted, divided

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

8 cups thinly sliced peeled tart apple (about 1/8 inch thick)

Directions

Line a 9-in. deep-dish pie plate with heavy-duty foil, leaving 1-1/2 in. beyond edge; coat the foil with cooking spray. Combine 4 tablespoons butter, brown sugar and pecans; spoon into prepared pie plate.

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, apples and remaining butter; toss gently.

Roll out one pie crust and place pastry over nut mixture, pressing firmly against mixture and sides of plate. Fill with apple mixture.

Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie; place over filling. Trim pie crusts to 1/4 in. beyond plate edge. Seal and flute edges. Cut four 1-in. slits in top pastry.

Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. Cover edges with foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning if necessary.

Cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack. Invert onto a serving platter; carefully remove foil.

Lifesaver Candy Canes

 A great project for kids

 

How to Make

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. Arrange the eight lifesavers into the shape of a candy cane, alternating between the two colors.

3. Bake for 3 to 6 minutes, until candies are melted.

4. Remove from oven.

5. (if desired) Make a hole in the "top most" candy by pressing the drinking straw piece into the ornament, leaving it there until the candy has cooled.

6. After the candy is completely cool, gently remove the straw and thread the ribbon or yarn through the hole to hang the ornament.

Puff Paint

 Kids activity...

 

This is really cool and super quick/easy.  Combine the following in a little bowl:

• 1 tablespoon **self-raising flour
• a few little drops of food coloring
• 1 tablespoon salt

Then add some water to make a nice smooth paste.
Paint away (if you don't have enough paint brushes use cotton buds - they work really well).
Microwave the design on high for 10 - 30 seconds until the paint puffs and it's all nice and dry.  We did ours for 15 seconds.

**Making your own 'self-raising' flour:

1. Using a dry measure, measure the desired amount of flour into a separate container.
2. For each cup of all-purpose flour, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
3. Mix to combine.

Peanut Butter Pie

This recipe is a family favorite & if you like peanut butter you'll love this pie. It isn't to rich but it's is like & sweet but in a peanut better way. I believe this is the kind of food they serve in heaven, it’s that good.

½ cup crunchy peanut butter

1 ½ cup powdered sugar

8 oz. cream cheese

8 oz. cool whip

Graham Cracker crust

Blend Peanut butter, powdered sugar & cream cheese together.

Add cool whip & mix ingredients together. (Careful not to over due it, to much mixing of the cool whip will make it flat.)

Pour into graham cracker crust. Total time on this pie is about 5 minutes, it's so simple.

Chill in fridge for 30 minutes before serving.

I haven’t tried this yet but I think an Oreo crust would put this over the top, which could prove to be dangerous.

Chili (with cocoa)

My kids call this chocolate chili but it doesn't taste like chocolate at all but it is delicious!
If you have never added cocoa to your chili then you should, it will change your life in a way chili never has.

1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons of cocoa

1 can (16 ounces) whole tomatoes, undrained

2 cans (15-16 ounces) kidney beans

2 cans (15-16 ounces) red beans

Combine all ingredients and simmer for one hour.

This chili is delicious by it’s self but one of my favorite meals is to add chips, cheese, tomatoes & spinach over the top of the chili.Think taco salad but not really.

Cranberry Pie

This pie is unbelievably good! The recipe came from Suzanne Reynolds who claims that she doesn't cook, however, THIS is something she CAN make. So, with that said....it's so easy even Suzanne can make it.

Love ya, Suzanne!

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This recipe makes 2 delicious pies.

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Topping:

1 pkg. (3 oz.) raspberry jell-o

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup cranberry juice

1 can (8 oz.) cranberry sauce (jellied)

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In a bowl combine jell-o with sugar and set aside. In a saucepan (or in the microwave) boil the cranberry juice. Pour over jell-o mixture, stir to dissolve. Whisk in cranberry sauce until cranberries are nearly dissolved. Chill to thicken (about an hour or so.)

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Filling:

6 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup cool whip, thawed

2 Graham cracker pie crusts

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Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla then fold in cool whip. Spread into pie crusts. Beat jell-o until foamy, pour over filling and chill overnight.

Almost Snow Cream

Such a simple recipe

for an amazing drink that's not overly sweet.

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Recipe from Southern Living Kids Cookbook

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4 cups milk

1/3 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

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Combine all ingredients in a 1-quart microwave-safe bowl, stirring gently until sugar dissolves. Microwave for 5 minutes on high or until hot, stirring once. Pour into mugs and top with marshmallows or whipped cream. Makes 4 servings.

Pork Potato Dinner

Ok.  Sorry for no pictures... But they ate it up before I could snap.  I mean, seriously, how many times do you have NO leftovers on a crockpot meal?!?!  Usually, we have tons of leftovers.  Not last night.  I LOVE crockpot cooking and this recipe made the family happy!

Pork-Potato Dinner

• Pork Tenderloin
• Potatoes
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted (or whatever you have on hand - I used cream of chicken)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Season tenderlon and put in crockpot.  Cut potatoes in halves and put in crockpot. Combine cream soup, milk, sour cream and seasonings.  Pour on top of tenderloin and potatoes.  Cool for about 5 hours on low and viola!

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Okay, I bet a lot of people already know about these cookies, but they are SO easy to make and SO yummy. I got this from Shanell who got it from Weight Watchers.

1 Spice Cake mix

1 15 oz can pumpkin

1 C chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375*. Mix ingredients together and drop by teaspoonfulls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. WAH-LA!

Southwestern Turkey Soup

This is probably my all-time favorite soup. I found the recipe a year or two ago in a Taste of Home magazine. The picture doesn't do it justice--yeah, I'm not a photographer. I'll give you the original recipe and also write the alterations I make. It's really versatile, so you can do whatever you want with it.

1 medium onion, chopped
1 T. olive oil
1 can (14 1/2 oz) chicken broth (I use water and chicken bouillion)
2-3 T. diced jalapeno pepper (I omit this since I have small kids and I don't do spicy very well)
3 tsp. ground cumin (LOVE this spice!)
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (I just do a dash or two)
3 cups cubed cooked turkey
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained (I also add an extra can of beans, usually pinto or kidney)
1 can (10 oz.) diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained (I just use a can of diced tomatoes and a can of chilies and tonight I chopped up a fresh tomato and threw it in)
1 1/2 cups frozen corn

Sour cream, coarsely crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheddar cheese and sliced ripe olives, optional--it's good with or without this stuff

*I also add about half a bell pepper and some garlic and fry it up with the onion*

In a large saucepan, saute onion (and peppers and garlic, if desired) in oil until tender. Stir in the broth, jalapeno, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne. Add the turkey, beans, tomatoes and corn. I have to add a bit of extra water since I put extra beans in. Just make sure you add a little extra salt, too.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with sour cream, tortilla chips, cheese and olives if desired. Yield: 7 servings. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup with Ravioli

I've had this recipe bookmarked for awhile now. It was super easy and yummy. The soup itself is pretty sweet with a little kick from the cayenne. The cheese ravioli totally balances out the sweetness perfectly. I loved it!
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2 lbs butternut squash

2 14-ounce cans vegetable broth (I used chicken broth)

1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1 24-ounce package of cheese-filled ravioli

1 tablespoon molasses

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Peel squash. Cut it lengthwise and remove seeds. Cut squash into 1-inch pieces.

In a large pot combine squash, broth and pepper. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 20 minutes or until squash is tender.

Transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. You may have to do this in batches. Return to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Add your butter.

Meanwhile, prepare the ravioli according to the package directions; drain. Add to soup and serve with a little molasses drizzled over the top.

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I have a hard time peeling squash and I was in a hurry so.....I cut it in half, removed seeds and slime then put the squash in a casserole pan with 1/4 inch of water. I then microwaved it for 8-12 minutes, let it cool, then scooped out the squash with a spoon. I only had to boil it for 5 minutes before putting it into the blender. So much easier!