Peanut Butter Pie

This recipe is in the March/April 2010 Taste of Home Simple & Delicious magazine. There are lots of yummy recipes in this issue. I wanted to make this one for dessert. When I went to Publix this afternoon I got the cream cheese and pie crust to make. There were only the large graham cracker crusts, so I got the 9" shortbread crust. It was super easy to make and fast. I added chocolate chips to the top.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup peanut butter

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 carton (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 graham cracker crust (9 inch)

salted chopped peanuts

Directions:

In a large bowl, beat the peanut butter, cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth.

Fold in whipped topping; pour into prepared crust. Sprinkle with nuts. Chill until serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

My Girl, Paula: Oven Baked Dutch Apple Pancake

This week's theme was to make something with Fruit. I decided to make the Oven Baked Dutch Apple Pancake out of Paula's "The Lady & Sons II" cookbook. I made it for breakfast this morning. My son and his friend who spent the night proclaimed it to be awesome. It was delicious and very easy to make.

Ingredients
2 cans apple pie filling
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a 10-inch cast iron skillet, warm the apple pie filling, butter, cinnamon.

In a bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the milk, flour, sour cream, lemon zest, and salt. Beat just until batter is smooth. Pour over the hot apple mixture in the skillet, and immediately put the pan in the oven.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pancake is puffed up and golden brown. Using a small, fine sieve, lightly dust the top of the pancake with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm.

Serves: 4-6

Snow Day Skillet Cookie

I found Ezra Pound Cake blog while browsing other blogs. I found this recipe on her blog. My, oh my, did it look yummy. I couldn't wait to make it! I also saw that Mommy's Kitchen made it this week, too. I made up the dough Wednesday evening and cooked it in my iron skillet while we ate dinner at my mom's on Thursday. It was sooooo good. Not that overly sweet. It was awesome with vanilla ice cream on top.

Sorry the picture of the finished product wasn't that great; I forgot to take my camera to my parents' home.

Pepperoni Lasagna Roll Ups

I found these on Mommy's Kitchen a while back and have been wanting to make them. I had the recipe down as one I wanted to make in the next month. I had all the ingredients and it sounded good. They were very good. I used mozzerella cheese instead of Swiss. I would have let the cheese melt a little more on top. I will definitely make them again.

Ingredients:

8 lasagna noodles

2 cups ricotta cheese

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. basil

40 slices pepperoni

8 - slices Swiss cheese, or Mozzerella slices

3/4 - 1 Cup shredded Mozzerella Cheese

2 cups meatless spaghetti sauce

1 - 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook noodles according to package directions; (al dente 12 - 14 minutes) drain and rinse with cold water. Lay noodles on a baking sheet or waxed paper.

Combine ricotta cheese, oregano, basil and shredded mozzerella cheese. Spread 1/4 cup over each noodle to within 1/2 in. of edges. Top with pepperoni and cheese slices (1 slice cheese cut in half); carefully roll up.

Pour a little sauce to bottom of baking dish to keep noodles soft. Place seam side down in a greased shallow baking dish. Top each roll with Spaghetti sauce.

Cover and bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese or shredded Mozzerella cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 minutes top each roll with a little more cheese before serving.

Yield: 6 servings

Where's mine?

Banana-Chocolate Chip Bread

I saw this recipe awhile ago on Cooking for Comfort's site. I've been wanting to make it for a while now. I had some bananas that were really ripe, so while at the store, I got the final ingredient I needed - the cherries.

The loaves are still cooling, but the bite I had was delicious! Thanks, Jen!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1 & 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3 bananas, mashed
10 ounce jar maraschino cherries, drained, 1/4 cup juice reserved
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just until blended after each addition.

Combine flour and baking soda, gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in mashed bananas, cherries, reserved juice and chocolate chips. Pour into 2 greased 9×5 loaf pans or 5 mini loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for one hour for large loaf pans or 35 minutes for small loaves. Place pans on cooling rack for 10 minutes, then remove bread from pans and cool completely on racks.

Recipe Rewind: Spicy Provolone cheese Pizza

I made this recipe about 6 months ago. My son asked me yesterday to make it again soon. He must have really liked it because he ate half a pizza!

The recipe can be found here.

My Girl, Paula: Almond Rice Pilaf

This week's My Girl, Paula theme was Anything Goes. I found this rice recipe a couple weeks ago. I am so glad I made it; it was delicious! Easy and yummy! I didn't add the onion due to my son, but I think it would make it better yet.

Ingredients:

2 T unsalted butter

1/4 cup finely chopped onion (omitted)

1/3 cup slivered almonds

1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice (I used Jasmine)

2 cups chicken broth

1/4 tsp salt

freshly ground black pepper

chopped fresh parsley leaves (didn't have any)

Directions

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium high heat. Stir in the onion and almonds. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until onion is softened and the almonds are golden, stirring occasionally. Add the rice; cook and stir for 1 minute. Slowly stir in the broth and add the salt and pepper, to taste.

Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, simmer for 15-20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with fork and garnish with parsley.

Yield: 4 servings

The entire meal.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

I found this recipe on I Love Sweet Treats site. I was looking for a chicken recipe to make - Something different. Thanks, Sandy!

This recipe was very, very simple and I actually had all the ingredients. I only had two chicken breasts, so I fourthed (is that a word) the recipe.

Ingredients:

8 boneless skinless chicken breasts

8 oz apricot preserves (I used less sugar preserves)

12 oz salsa

1 pkg taco seasoning

Directions:

Combine last three ingredients. Mix with chicken in a 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Serve with rice.

Mexican Pizza

I was talking about pizza with my daughter, Kelly, one day and she suggested I try making Mexican Pizza. She had made it and it came out awesome.

When I was at Wal-mart yesterday, I decided to pick up the ingredients. It was so easy and so, so delicious!

This is my version:

Pillsbury refrigerated pizza crust, thin

1 lb ground beef

1 package taco seasoning

2/3 cup water (or whatever amount the taco seasoning directions say)

1 can refried beans

cheddar cheese, shredded

black olives, sliced

lettuce

salsa

Spread crust out on rectangle pan. Bake at 400 for 5 minutes (as directed on package).

Brown ground beef, drain. Add taco seasoning and water. Heat up.

Spread beans on crust. I added a small amount of salsa on the beans, not a whole lot. Top with beef mixture. Add sliced olives and cheese.

Bake about 10 minutes or so until cheese starts to brown.

Top with lettuce, onions, salsa, sour cream.

Enjoy!

Buca Di Beppo's Chopped Antipasto Salad

My boyfriend, Doug, took me out to dinner a while back to a restaurant called Buca Di Beppo's. It's in Fort Lauderdale along Federal Highway. I loved it! We both love the Antipasto Salad. I took my son there one afternoon. When we were hungry for the salad again, Doug and I went there again. Ate the antipasto salad but different entries. Everything was awesome again. I was very sad to find out that this branch of Buca Di Beppo's closed. Not sure why, it's always packed. There is still one in Hollywood, FL. I guess we will have to make our way to that one.

I have been hungry for the salad. Awhile ago I discovered Meemo's Kitchen. She does wonderful knock-off recipes. I decided tonight that I had to have the salad. I had found it on her site. I had to run to the grocery after work, so I picked up the necessary ingredients. It came out delicious. The Italian vinaigrette dressing I had on hand expired, so I substituted Ken's reduced fat Caesar dressing. Still tasted delish.

I made the salad with garlic toast. I also made Schwan's spicky chicken patties with Ragu and mozzerella on top. Yummers! I used Genoa salami insted of the mortadella and omitted the tomatoes. I added a few more olives. Love olives! I also omitted the gorgonzola and added a tad more feta.

Ingredients:

10 oz. iceberg lettuce, chopped

1 oz each, diced, pepperoni, mortadella, red onions and provolone

2 oz each, diced, roma tomatoes and cucumbers

1 oz each, crumbled, gorgonzola and feta cheeses

1/2 oz chopped pepperoncini

1/2 tsp oregano

4 oz Italian vinaigrette dressing

3 whole pepperoncini

3 each black and green olives

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl except half of the tomatoes, the whole pepperoncini, olives and dressing. Toss. Add the dressing and toss again until fully incorporated. Mound salad mixture on a chilled plat. Place the remaining amount of tomatoes around the outside of the salad. Garnish with the pepperoncini and olives.

My Girl Paula: Chocolate Sugar Cookies

I've been meaning to make these all week. Several times I got the butter out to soften and end up putting back in fridge! I am so glad I finally made them today. They are delicious!

Ingredients:

1 cup butter softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each additional. Beat in vanilla.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until combined. Divide dough in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out dough using desired cutters. Place on prepared baking sheets, and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are firm. Let cool on pans for 2 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Frost cookies with your favorite frosting (I used the recipe mixing 2 cups confectioners sugar, 2 T softened butter, 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 T milk and red food coloring). Garnish with sanding sugar and sprinkles if desired.

Yields: about 3 dozen (I got 20 cookies; I used large cutter.