Cookie Treat

This dessert was extremly close to one of my favorites.
I was a little nervous because it calls for the dreaded tube of cookie dough.
But I think it turned out ok.
One day I hope to conquer that tube of cookie dough.
We just don't get along right now!
I hope you guys give this recipe a try, I think it's worth it!

Cookie Treat
1 tube sugar cookie dough (or other dough if desired!)
1 lg box instant chocolate pudding
1 pint half and half
1 8oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 candy bar (heath or any other)

Preheat oven as directed on cookie dough tube

(the tube and I weren't even getting along well enough for him to be in my picture!)

In a greased cookie pan, press cookie dough evenly and bake as directed.

Make sure that the center is done. Oh how I hate this tube!

Be glad there is even a picture....ugh!

In a seperate bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla.

Spread over cooled cookie.

Combine pudding and half and half.

You must use half and half, it's what makes the pudding thick enough to stay on this sucker!

Pour over cream cheese mixture.

Top with crumbled candy bar.

(obviously, mine isn't a candy bar. I had forgotten to pick one up at the store...so I improvised!

As I am sure you could too!)

It really is a yummy little treat!

It doesn't hold too well overnight, so make sure it will be eaten the day you make it!

I'm so glad summer is almost here...I have a ton of ice cream recipes.

It's just been too cold to make them!

I hope I haven't lost all my readers.

Stay tuned,

I promise to have more recipes!

Strawberry Cheese Trifle

This is another recipe that my Grandma made for our family.

She finds the best recipes.

The original recipe called for canned cherry pie filling.

And that was how I had it the first time.

I was really wanting to do raspberries this time,

but couldn't find a single fresh raspberry anywhere.

So, I settled for strawberries, which wasn't too bad either!

I just made an envelope of junket to make it "pie filling" worthy.

So, go ahead and make it however way you would like!

But if anything...

I suggest you make it.

It will be worth it!

Strawberry Cheese Trifle

(The original name is Valentine Cherry Cheese Trifle)

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups heavy whiping cream, whipped and sweetened

1 tsp almond extract

1 prepared angel food cake

* 2 21 oz cans cherry pie filling

* 2 pkg fresh strawberries & 1 envelope Junket

* 4 pkg fresh raspberries & 1 envelope Junket

* whichever fruit you decide on!

Grab your trifle bowl, go ahead and get it out of the hall closet

and get it dusted off, because you are going to need it!

(Oh wait, that's just me? oh, ok!)

First of all, make sure you make that whipped cream!

Also, if you are doing the junket method...make that ahead of time as well,

as it needs time to cool.

Take the prepared angel food cake and cut it into 1-inch pieces.

I TRIED to use the entire cake, but you will see that I shouldn't have.

Perhaps my trifle bowl is a little small?

I don't know, it just didn't all fit!

So, my suggestion?

Layer the pieces of angel food cake in a single layer on the bottom of the trifle bowl.

Next, in a seperate bowl, combine the cream cheese and can of sweetened condensed milk

and beat until smooth.

Stir in the almond extract and then half of the prepared whipped cream.

Spread half of the cream cheese mixture over angel food cake pieces.

Top cream cheese mixture with half of the pie filling.

Now you are going to repeat those layers again!
The recipe calls to top the trifle bowl with the remaining whipped cream.
Uh, yeah...mine didn't fit!
I just did a dallop of whipped cream on each individual serving...
which was HUGE by the way!
It's fun and pretty and went perfect with the dinner I made for my in-laws.
Let me know if any of you try it with the raspberries.
I'm curious to know if I am going to have to make this one again.
And I say 'HAVE' to make it again with a smile on my face!

Fruit Pizza BITES

I was blog hopping and I discovered this recipe on
bloom
and I realized that it would be perfect to take
for a couples date night with some friends!
I love fruit pizza...and I thought that these would be fun...
they are miniature-little pizzas....
and we all know how much I like the littler portions...
(makes you think they aren't as fattening!)

I have to tell you, I have never seen a recipe for the cream cheese part
that calls for lemon juice.
I thought it was perfect...paired with the fruit.
It really is worth it to make these...
although if your kids will let you get through frosting them before eating them all..
or BEGGING you for "just one mom, pllleeeeeeaasssssssseeeeeeee!"

Give it a try...especially since fruit is in season,
the weather is nice.
It will make you wish for summer that much quicker!

Fruit Pizza Bites
(from a place to bloom)


1 (16 oz) Pillsbury sugar cookie dough roll
1 (8oz) package cream cheese

1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp lemon juice

AND ANY FRUIT YOU WANT!

For mine, I used:

strawberries
blueberries
raspberries

Preheat oven to 325*.

Slice the cookie dough pretty thin,

trying to do it as thin as you can without it crumbling.

(I'm really not good with measurements)

Place onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 7 - 8 minutes.

Allow to cool.

In a seperate bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice.

Mix until combined and creamy.

Spread onto cooled cookies.

You can go pretty liberal, there is enough cream cheese for all these babies!

Decorate with fruit as desired.

Hopefully this nice warm weather will make me want to start baking again!

Sorry I have been a slacker.

I just can't get into it.

Thanks for supporting me though.

Look for more recipes to come!

Banana Bars

Sorry it's been so long since i've posted.

It's amazing how fast life can get away from you.

I've been working extra at work...

a little potty training of my son (done in a week! YAHOO!)

a random and rare sunny day that caused sunburn that I took FULL advantage of!

Yeah...all the sudden it had been a week and I hadn't baked ANYTHING

Well, i'm back with a few recipes.

Hopefully with spring coming up

(hopefully it will stop SNOWING for spring to come)

I'll be able to get that baking inspiration again!

This banana bar recipe I have been waiting for since Christmas time

from my husbands aunt.

It is so good...i've had requests from work to make it again!

Anytime you have some bananas that are about ready to turn,

try this one on for a change!

I don't think you'll be disappointed!

Banana Bars

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream (I used light and it was fine)

1 tsp. vanilla

2-3 mashed ripe bananas

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350*

In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar and eggs.

In a seperate bowl, mash the bananas.

I just used my pastry blender...i'm sure a potato masher would work just as well.

Add the mashed bananas, vanilla and sour cream.

Combine.

Mix the dry ingredients together and then add to the banana mixture.

Pour into a greased jelly roll pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

It will be just as light as the unbaked mixture above!

Top with a cream cheese frosting....which I forgot to take a picture of....sorry!

FROSTING:

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese ( I did NOT use light!)

1 cube of butter

2 tsp vanilla

4 - 5 cups powdered sugar (I used 4)

Mix together butter, cream cheese and vanilla.

Add powdered sugar until it reaches the consistancy you like.
Frost bars and I dare you not to eat them all!

Happy Easter/Spring Break/Winter?

Oreo Delight

This year, after looking back at my pathetic -non- scrapbooks
that I accomplished over the last year, I decided to set a new goal.
I need to take more family pictures...
So, I decided to do Project Life from Becky Higgins.
I'm really excited about it and we are already in February
and I am proud to say, I'm still going strong!
I have loved Becky ever since she was with Creating Keepsakes
and so I have become a blog stalker of hers.
She has a recipe tab on her blog.
I was checking it out the other day and saw her recipe for
Oreo Delight.
I noticed it was REMARKABLY close to my Chocolate Dessert recipe.
So, I thought i'd give it a shot...test it out...see which one I like better!
Oreo Delight
35 Oreo cookies (1 whole pkg.)
6 Tbsp. margarine, melted
1 pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
1 (12 oz.) tub Cool Whip, thawed
3 1/4 c. cold milk
2 pkg. instant Jell-O pudding
(she wasn't specific on this one, so I just did one vanilla and one chocolate)

Crush the entire package of oreo cookies.
(It seems like such a waste...so if you must, go ahead and eat a cookie or two!)
Make sure there aren't a bunch of big pieces.
Next time I do it, I will probably use a food processor.
In a bowl, combine the oreo and the margarine.
Stir until coated.
Press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
Does not need to be greased.
Place in the fridge for 15 minutes.
In a seperate bowl, combine the cream cheese, milk and sugar.
Once combined, fold in 1 1/4 cup cool whip.
(this is where my recipe is different)
Spread carefully over the oreo crust.
(I like my cream cheese mixture better)

In another seperate bowl, combine the pudding and milk
(my recipe is also different from this one, but I like hers better..it's thicker!)
(Maybe that's why my sister was giving me the eye!)
Spread over cream cheese mixture.

Place in the fridge until you are ready to serve and
top with remaining cool whip.

I took both of these desserts to work and let people try each of them

to let me know which one they liked better.

It honestly was a tie between the two.

Personally, I like my crust and cream cheese better and her pudding!

I think that's the way i'll make it in the future!

Thanks Becky, for Project Life and the recipe!

Chocolate Dessert

I'm BACK!

I hope you like my new design.

I was to thank the girls at

www.smittenblogdesigns.blogspot.com

I think they did a great job!

I also have a new button...

feel free to grab it!
To celebrate, i'm back with
MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE DESSERT.
It's the one I request on my birthday...

I know that there are several different versions of

"better than sex" cake,

THIS IS MINE!

I have made this recipe enough, that I have managed to perfect the crust

beyond what the original recipe was.

So, this is my version.

Chocolate Dessert

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1 1/2 squares margarine, softened.

8 oz cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

16 oz cool whip

1 small box instant chocolate pudding

1 small box instant vanilla pudding

3 cups milk

Preheat oven to 350*

In a small bowl, cut together flour and margarine and pecans.

(I used to make this with walnuts...however, walnuts, to me, leave a weird

film-texture in my mouth...so I have switched to pecans....MMMMM!)

Once all the ingredients are combined, pour into an ungreased 9 x 13 pan.

Will be crumbly.

Press crust into pan...all the way to the edges.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Allow crust to cool before spreading next layer on top,

as it will not be nice to the crust!

In a seperate bowl, combined softened cream cheese,

8 oz cool whip and powdered sugar.

Spread oven cooled crust.

In another seperate bowl, combined both puddings and milk.

(my original recipe called for 4 cups milk. My sister gave me the WEIRDEST look

when I told her I added 4 cups of milk. I have since been told it's not that much...only 3.)

Make to directions on the box...i.e. mix until combined!

Pour over cream cheese mixture.

Place in the fridge to allow the pudding to set up.

Top with the remaining 8 oz cool whip just before serving.

Make sure you do as I do and SAVOR each and every bite of this dessert!

Oh.My.Gosh.

It really is my favorite!

CHOCOLATE DESSERT

Cream Cheese Brownies

My Grandma Travis makes THE BEST desserts.
I don't know where she gets her recipes.
She's magic...just like most Grandma's!
I know that I don't ask questions,
i'm usually too busy savoring the delicious-ness of her cooking!
This recipe is a good one, and very high in her rotation!
Serving size is usually EXTRA LARGE!
Cream Cheese Brownies
1 box german chocolate cake mix
(cake mix made as directed on box)
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 bag chocolate chips...(use the Ghiradelli brand)
Preheat oven to 325*

Make cake mix as directed on package...you know,
eggs, oil and water.
Pour into greased jelly roll pan.
Next, combine cream cheese, egg and sugar.
Mix until smooth.
Place by small spoonfuls throughout cake mix.

Run a knife through the cake mix to make a swirl pattern.

Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

When they come out, sprinkle 1/2 bag of chocolate chips on top of warm cake.

FROSTING

1 tbsp butter

3 tbsp milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

powdered sugar.

In a bowl, combine the milk and butter, and melt in the microwave.

Combine with vanilla and add powdered sugar.

Mix until it can drip off the spoon as a thick mixture.

(Don't you love Grandma's and their ability to just MAKE frosting...without a recipe?)

Drizzle white frosting over cake.

(My cake was a little too warm still, and it melted my frosting...

oh well!)

Mini Carrot Cakes

My neighbor Tonya is a pampered chef consultant.
It's where I get all my tools and gadgets that I love!
We also work together!
She gave me this recipe along with a sample, and I thought
I have got to post this!
My mom makes the best carrot cake,
and this was right up there with the taste.
But the difficulty level...so easy!
And you should know by now, if it's something mini...i'm there!

Mini Carrot Cake Cups

1 pkg yellow cake mix
3 tsp. allspice
2 eggs
4 tbsp vegetable oil
4 medium carrots, peeled and grated

Preheat oven to 350*

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, allspice, egg and oil.
Combine until all the ingredients are wet.
Stir in grated carrots.

Using your mini scoop, place batter into a greased mini-muffin pan.
Bake for 11-13 minutes.

Once they are cooked, press in tops.

I used the end of a wooden spoon, because I did not have my mini-tart shaper

(from pampered chef...it was on order.)

You are doing this to make space for the cream cheese filling,

so go ahead and make the holes as BIG as you want!

Make these holes while still in the pan.

Cool for 5 minutes, then remove to cooling rack.

Now for the FILLING!

6 oz cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 cup thawed cool whip

In a small bowl, combine ingredients with a hand mixer and mix until smooth.

Pour into a plastic bag, or using a cake decorator, pipe filling into cups.

I had my brother test these, and he said...

"Good, but you need more filling."

The boy loves sugar!

So, on all the other ones that I made, I had more filling on them.

You don't need to double the filling recipe..I had plenty!

Please, take a minute to make these!

I'm about 99.9% sure you won't be disappointed!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Looking for something a little "different than the normal" for Thanksgiving?

This would be a good one!

The recipe is a little intimidating, but SO easy.

Did I mention it is REALLY, REALLY good too?

I love cheesecake. It is my ABSOLUTE favorite!

And this one is good.

So, break from the norm...I dare you!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Crust:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 325*

In a small bowl, combine crackers and sugar, then stir in butter.

Press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan, coated with cooking spray.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

(Didn't take a picture of that, but I hope we all get the idea.)

Filling:

3 8oz packages of cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 15 oz can pumpkin

2 tbsp flour

3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs, lightly beaten

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.

Beat in pumpkin, flour, spice and vanilla. Add eggs and beat on low

just until combined.

Pour over crust.

Bake for 35 - 45 minutes, or until center is almost set.

(doesn't wiggle to much when you shake it)

Cool on wire rack for 1 hour.

Refrigerate for 3 hours or until chilled.

(the longer it's chilled, the better)

You can make it to this point and then top it before eating.

BUT, make sure you read ahead to the rest of the recipe,

there's something more you have to make!

Topping:

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla

Pour whipping cream into a small bowl, and beat cream until it begins to thicken.

Add powdered sugar and vanilla, then continue beating until stiff peaks form.

Spread over chilled cheesecake**

Sugared Pecans:
1/2 cup sugar

1 cup pecan halves

In a large, non-stick skillet, add sugar.

Without stirring, heat over medium-low heat until sugar is melted.

Stir in pecans, stirring until coated.

(I like to add the pecans JUST BEFORE ALL the sugar is liquid, but not too soon!)

Pour onto parchment paper to cool.

Once cooled, break into pieces OR do a coarse chop.

Sprinkle on top of whipped cream.

Serve!

**If you are making this ahead of time, I think it would be better to

actually cut the pieces and then dollop with the whipped cream and

sprinkle with pecans. It will last a little bit longer.