Peach Crisp

I have a huge box of AMAZING yummy peaches from Brighan City. I have to use them before they all go ripe at the same time. So today I made peach crisp...it's a lot like my apple crisp and my family loved it. YUMMY, you have to try it.

Start by spraying a 13x9 pan and pre heating the oven to 350 degrees.

What you need:
6-8 ripe peaches, peeled and cut up (enough to cover the bottome of a 13x9 pan)
sugar to sprinkle over the top of the peaches

For crisp:
1 cup flour

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup instant oatmeal

1/4 tsp. baking powder

2/3 cup Sugar

1 cube butter, cubed


On top of crisp:

cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

2 Tbps. butter, cubed

Cover the 13x9 pan with cubes peaches. Sprinkle enough sugar to coat all the peaches. Sprinkle enough cinnamon to cover peaches lightly.

In a dish combine flour. sugar, brown sugar, oatmeal, baking soda, salt, and 1 cube butter.

Top peaches with crips mixture. Top with more cinnamon and nutmeg and another 2 Tbsp. butter

Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes-until golden brown.

Serve with cool whip or vanilla ice cream.

Raspberry Cream Pie

Every summer, when my in-laws go out of town, my mother in law lets me come over and pick her raspberries. We get to keep everything we pick. I have a huge bucket full, and this is what I am going to make with them. Easy and YUMMY...and not to fattening, BONUS!

1 8oz. pkg cream cheese (you can use 1/3 less fat or fat free)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup raspberries
1/4 cup sugar (you can use Splenda)
19" graham crust (just buy a store bought, it's easier!!)
1 8 oz. carton of cool whip (I use the light or fat free)

Combine softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, mixing until well blended. Fold Cool Whip into cream cheese mixture. Mash raspberries- not alot, just so they aren't whole raspberries. Stir into cream cheese mixture. . Spoon into crust. Chill several hours or overnight. Garnish with additional raspberries if desired.

Lemon Cheesecake

I made this for our 4th of July BBQ...I love lemonade on a hot summer day, so when I came across this recipe for lemon cheesecake, I wanted to try it. It was sooooo yummy, you have to try it! I used 1/3 less fat cream cheese and it was still rich and yummy!

2 cups crushed Graham cracker crumbs
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
6 Tbsp. melted butter
4 pkg. (8oz. each) Cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 less fat)
1 cup Sour Cream (I used light)
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
4 eggs

Heat oven to 325.
Mix crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and butter. Reserve 1/4 cup crumb mixture. press remaining onto bottom of 13x9 pan.

Beat cream cheese and remaining sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream, zest and juice; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low after each just until blended. Pour over crust; top with reserved crumb mixture.

Bake 40 mins or until center is almost set. Cool completely and then refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

**NOTE: because it takes awhile to cool, and you want the cheesecake to be chilled in the fridge, this is a great "make the night before" recipe.

Recipe from: Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese

Rhubarb Apple Crisp

My neighbor brought me a HUGE bag of Rhubard and I had NO idea what to do with it. I happened to stumble across this recipe on my friend April's blog. I tried it and LOVED it...so I am sharing it with you...and I need to make sure I don't loose this recipe so I am keeping it here!! LOL!

1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups sliced rhubarb
1 peeled and cubed apple (we like fuji or gala)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tbs cornstarch
1 cup water
1 tsp vanilla

In a bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, oats, butter and cinnamon. Mix together until crumbly. Press 1/3 of it into a 8 x 8 baking dish. Top with sliced rhubarb and apple.

In a saucepan, combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, water and vanilla. Cook until thick and clear. Pour over apples and rhubarb. Top with remaining crumb mixture and bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping. Enjoy

NOTE**one thing I did differently on this recipe is after I took the sugar/cornstarch mixture off the stove, I mixed the rhubard and apples into the sauce and then I spooned it over the crust, I didn't use all of the sauce, that way the sauce didn't bubble up over the top crisp..I LOVE my crisp to be extra crispy ;O)

Double Decker OREO Cheesecake

I made this little treat for Father's Day. Hello, cheesecake with OREO's in it...HEAVEN! We loved it. It does take a little bit of time, and make sure you give yourself the full 4 hours for it to chill. Enjoy!

What You Need

1 pkg. (17 oz.) OREO Chocolate Creme Cookies, divided
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Sour Cream
4 eggs
4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

HEAT oven to 325ºF.

PROCESS 30 cookies in food processor until finely ground. Add butter; mix well. Press onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan.

BEAT cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each just until blended; pour half over crust. Stir melted chocolate into remaining batter; pour over batter in pan. Chop remaining cookies; sprinkle over batter.

BAKE 45 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours.

Thank you Craft Foods for making this amazing recipe, all credit goes your way!

Raspberry Cream Cheese Dip

For dinner tonight, we wanted a dessert that was a little healthy. So, I made this dip to go with a bunch of fresh fruit. It was yummy!

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature (I used 1/3 less fat)
8 0z. container light cool whip
3, 6 oz. containers of light and fit yogurt (I used Raspberry, but you could use any flavor)

Beat cream cheese, add cool whip and yogurt and beat well.

Serve with your favorite sliced fruit. We used strawberries, apples, kiwi, mango and fresh pineapple. It was yummy and way healthier than a chocolate cake (don't get me wrong, I still need my chocolate cake too!!)

Malted Milk Smores

Tonight, my cute friend Madelyn came over to my house and taught me and our cute Beehive gals how to make these...these are killer yummy and I had to share....thanks Madelyn-these are delic!!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I LOVE easy, and these are one of my favorite cookies....this is all you do....

One bag of Betty Crocker's Oatmeal Cookie Mix (it has cinnamon in it....which is what helps make these cookies killer!!)

And...one cup of Nestle Toll House Chocolate CHUNK morsels (not chips).....We are talking CHUNKS of chocolate....I don't mess around with my chocolate!

Follow directions on back of Betty Crocker Cookie Mix...Bake!

I keep some dough in my fridge for later.....not for cooking...but for when my children are naughty and I need a spoonfull of heaven!!!

Melt away cookies

I went to a Girls Night Out a couple of nights ago and my friend Janelle made these insanely cute and yummy cookies. I don't have a picture to post on my blog, she e-mailed me the recipe so I can make them.....let me just tell you that as soon as these cookies hit your tongue, they instantly melt....they are sooooo good. These would be a cute little cookie to put on a decorative plate during a holiday party for people to munch on...Enjoy!

Melt-away Cookies *

1 cup butter

3/4 cup corn starch

1/3 cup powdered sugar

*Beat then add:

1 cup flour

*Flour your hands and roll dough into balls slightly larger then marbles. Place onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Top cookies with frosting when cool.


Frosting:

4 oz cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar

*Beat together until smooth

Caramel Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars

I have 3 words for this recipe.....OH MY GOSH!!!
Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

2 cups flour

2 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon, Ground

3/4 teaspoon Ginger, Ground

1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg, Ground

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

7 ounces (1/2 of 14-ounce package) caramels, unwrapped

2 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, oats, sugar, baking soda, salt and spices in large bowl. Add butter; stir until mixture is well blended and forms coarse crumbs. Reserve 1/2 (about 2 1/4 cups) for the topping. Add pumpkin and vanilla to remaining mixture in bowl; stir until well blended. Press evenly into bottom of greased foil-lined 13x9-inch baking pan. Set aside.

2. Microwave caramels and milk in medium microwavable bowl on HIGH 2 to 3 minutes or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after every minute. Let stand 1 minute. Pour over pumpkin mixture in pan, spreading to within 1/2-inch of edges. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Lift from pan. Cut into bars.

Here are the changes I made: Since I use salted butter, I only put in 1/4 tsp. of salt. I used 3/4 package of caramels instead of 1/2 bag (you can never have to much caramel....since I used 3/4 bag of caramels I used more mile and I used 3 Tbsp. milk. Instead of using the cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, I used 1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice. Another tip I have is I never use imitation vanilla, I use PURE vanilla-you can find this in the mexican isle at the grocery store, it makes the biggest difference in your cooking.


Recipe taken from Mccormick Website

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Sorry, I have no picture, we devoured this for Chris's birthday cake last night. He hates cake, but LOVES this pie...it's not your traditional pumpkin pie...it's fluffy and.....beyond delic!

Crust: Use your favorite crust recipe, or even easier, buy a frozen pie crust at the store.

1 baked 9" pastry shell
1 1/2 c. mashed pumpkin
1 cup brown sugar, packed
dash of salt
2 eggs yolks
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup cold water
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 egg whites (We use the "just whites" dry egg whites that you buy in a can...so you don't have to use raw eggs, on the can it tells you how many Tbsp to water=2 egg whites).
8 oz. carton of light cool whip

Combine pumpkin, beaten egg yolks, sugar, spices and salt in top of double boiler. (NOTE: I don't have a double boiler, I just boil water in a saucepan and place a glass bowl on top of saucepan and make sure the glass b0wl isn't touching the boiling water...just steaming it.).....cook stirring often over hot water for 10 minutes. Soften gelatin in cold water, blend into hot mixture, stir until dissolved. Pour into bowl, and chill until it thickens and starts to set (this will take about 2 hours....stir it about 4 times during that 2 hour period). Beat egg whites until stiff, carefully fold into chilled mixture. Fold cool whip into mixture. Pour into pie crust. Chill several hours...serve with more whipped cream. Store leftovers in fridge.

Caramel Apple Empanadas

I think I may add an "Ode to Rhodes" seciton in my cooking blog, because I use Rhodes Rolls ALL the time for so many things. I have already put the mini pizza, the cinnamon pull aparts, and sticky bun recipes on this blog, which all use Rhodes Rolls. I will post a few more Rhodes recipes in the near future. I ALWAYS have a bag of Rhodes in my freezer, it's a staple at my house! Here's another good one....

Servings: 12
Skills: Intermediate
Prep Time: 15 min (not including thaw time)
Bake Time: 15 min
Ingredients

12 Rhodes™ Dinner rolls, thawed to room temperature (I use the defrost option on the
microwave, and watch the closely so they are barely thawed, otherwise it starts
to cook them and they are ruined)
10 caramels, cut into 6 pieces each
1/3 cup flour
2 cups peeled, chopped Granny Smith apples
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
melted butter
cinnamon/sugar or powdered sugar

Instructions

Spray counter lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Flatten each roll into a 4-5 inch circle. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest while preparing filling. In a medium bowl, combine caramels, flour, apples, pecans, ice cream topping and lemon juice. Remove wrap from dough and place 1-2 tablespoons of filling on each dough circle. Brush edges of dough with milk and fold in half. Seal edges with a fork. Place on a sprayed baking sheet and bake at 350°F 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar or powdered sugar.

Recipe taken from Rhodes website

Single Serving Peach Crisp

Last month in my Better Homes and Garden magazine, there was an article that had 50 ways to use peaches. The reipes were simple and quick. I tried one tonight, and it was so yummy!!!

-Remove skin from peaches

-Cut peach in half and remove core

-Mix some instant oatmeal, butter and brown sugar and sprinkle on each slice of peach

-I added some cinnamon to the top

-Bake at 375 until brown and bubbly

-If you want you can add some topping, like whip cream, ice cream, or vanilla frozen yogurt

Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies

I am on a baking kick lately, maybe it's because we don't have a yard to play in this summer, we are stuck inside, and I can't let my kids watch TV hour after hour, so we have been baking a lot. I LOVE oatmeal cookies, but I hate raisins in cookies, so I found this recipe on the back of a Hershey's chips bag, and I LOVE this recipe! Enjoy!



Ingredients:1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY'S Cinnamon Chips
3/4 cup raisins (optional, and I totally opted out!!)

Directions:1. Heat oven to 350°F.

2. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in bowl until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Combine flour and baking soda; add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in oats, cinnamon chips and raisins (batter will be stiff). Drop by heaping teaspoons unto ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes on until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. About 4 dozen.

BAR VARIATION: Spread batter into lightly greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350°F. for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool; cut into bars. About 3 dozen bars.

Recipe taken from Hershey's

Lemon Lime Bars

Tonight I made a batch of these. This is a good summer recipe. We had grilled salmon at Chris's parents and I wanted to make something that would go good with it. This is a keeper recipe for sure. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons grated lime peel
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

FILLING:
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
Confectioners' sugar
Directions
In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in lime peel. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
Press into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 13-15 minutes or just until edges are lightly browned.
Meanwhile, in another large bowl, beat eggs and sugar. Combine the flour and baking powder. Gradually add to egg mixture. Stir in lemon juice and peel; beat until frothy. Pour over hot crust.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares. Store in the refrigerator.

Recipe taken from: Taste of Home

Homemade oreo cookies

For Father's Day I wanted to make something extra special, these are it! If you have never made homemade Oreo's before, this recipe is a must, beware, if you have a hard time with self control.... DO NOT MAKE THESE!! LOL!!



Cookie:
2 boxes Devil's Food Cake Mix
2 squares margarine
4 eggs

Stir above ingredients together. Roll into 1" balls and bake 350 for 10-12 minutes, long enough that the center is baked. After they cool, spread frosting on top of one of the cookies and top it off with another cookie.

Recipe for Frosting:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
splash of vanilla (about a tsp.)
one stick of butter-melted
powdered sugar, about 3/4 a bag

Enjoy!
These are better a day later, when they have time to sit and get super soft....yum!

Gooey Turtle Bars

What is it about this cold crappy weather that makes you want to stay inside and eat an entire pan of something covered in chocolate, is it just me?? Well, if you like chocolate (and caramel) here's a recipe for you!!

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs ( I did a little more than 1 1/2 cups I was closer to 1 3/4 maybe even 2-I really like my graham crust thick!!!)

2 cups (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate morsels (I used the mini chocolate chips, they are just so cute!)

1 cup pecans (I bought the pecans that are already cut up really small)

1-12 oz. jar caramel topping (I prefer Mrs. Richardson brand, either butterscotch caramel or just plain caramel-it's really rich!) They come in 16 oz. bottles, and for those of you that know me, know that I think if 12 oz. of caramel is good, 16 oz. has got to be better, so I used ALMOST an entire jar.

COMBINE butter and wafer crumbs together and press firmly into a 13x9 pan. Sprinkle with chocolate morsels and pecans.

REMOVE lid from caramel topping, microwave at high for 1 minute. Stir and microwave another 30 seconds. Drizzle over pecans.

BAKE 350 for 12-15 minutes or until morsels are almost completely melted ( I like the look of the mini chocolate chips, so I let mine semi melt)

COOL in pan. Chill at least 30 minutes. Cut into squares.

Citrus Sugar Cookie Frosting

This is for you Jeannie!

My dad makes the best sugar cookies with the best citrus frosting, here is the recipe for the frosting (It really is this easy).

1/2 cube butter
water
powdered sugar
Concentrated Orange Juice (not OJ already mixed up)

Melt the butter, pour in powdered sugar and mix. Add water if necessary to make it the right consitency. Add 3 Tbsp (or more) of concentrated orange juice-right out of the can. Add more if you want to make it stronger. Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Frosted Pumpkin Squares

I made these for dessert tonight, and these are sooo yummy! The recipe called for 1/4 cup of cream cheese, and I thought if 1/4 cup is good, an entire package of cream cheese has got to be better....I was right! This is a super moist cake. I want to try to make it again but add chocolate chips and cook it in mini loaf pans, if it works I will add the recipe to my blog!



1 cup sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt


Cream cheese frosting:
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 pkg. cream cheese (I used the Neufchatel 1/3 less fat and it was great)
2 Tbsp. melted butter or margarine
1/2 tsp vanilla or vanilla extract (I use pure vanilla and I think it makes everything taste better).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8" square pan.
To prepare cake, put sugar and eggs in bowl and beat on med. speed for 2 minutes. Beat in pumpkin and oil. At low speed add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt-beat 1 minute.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes. (Note: Use a toothpick to check the center, I had to cook my cake a couple minutes extra to get the center completely cooked.)

Prepare frosting and frost once cake is completely cooled.

Aloha Cake

I am such a slacker! Last month after Eva's blessing, we had a little picnic with family and friends at the park. My mother in law brought Aloha cake and everyone was asking for the recipe. It's just taken me a month to post it to the blog, sorry! But here it is, enjoy!

1 pkg. yellow cake mix with pudding in the mix

Filling:
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 Large (6 oz.)pkg. vanilla instant pudding
3 cups milk

Topping:
1 20 oz. can CRUSHED pineapple, drained very well
1 12 oz. carton Cool Whip
2 to 3 cups shredded coconut

Make cake mix as directed on package and bake in sheet cake pan (11x17) or 2 9x13 pans. bake only about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool. Beat softened cream cheese. Mix instant pudding and milk, add to cream cheese. Mix until smooth and pour over cooled cake. Sprinkle crushed pineapple (that has been thoroughly drained) over pudding mixture. Spread Cool Whip over cake. Spinkle coconut over Cool Whip. Refrigerate.

LOWER CALORIE VERSION:
Use low fat (non fat) cream cheese, lite Cool Whip and sugar free pudding-I promise it's just as good!!!