Grape Salad

I had this interesting salad at a get-together last week & it was SO yummy! It is perfect to take to a pot-luck or neighborhood get-together! I will definitely be making it quite often this summer!!

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Grape Salad

1 ½ lbs green seedless grapes

1 ½ lbs red seedless grapes

8 oz sour cream

8 oz cream cheese

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Topping

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup chopped pecans

Remove stems from grapes and rinse. In a medium bowl, beat sour cream, cream cheese, granulated sugar and vanilla with mixer until smooth. Stir grapes into the cream cheese mixture and place in a serving dish.

Combine brown sugar & pecans and sprinkle over top of grapes (you may also place on the side if you desire).

(To make a more "lighter" version you can substitute lite sour cream & low-fat cream cheese!)

Oreo Dessert

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My Aunt brought this yummy dish to a family gathering last summer & it was oh so heavenly! Definitely a great dessert to bring to a potluck or just enjoy for yourself!

Heavenly Oreo Dessert

1 (15.35 ounce) package Double-Stuffed Oreo cookies
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 packages (3.9 ounce, each) Instant Chocolate pudding mix
3 1/4 cups cold milk
2 (8 ounce) containers Cool Whip
1 (8 ounce) block Cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions: Take a large zip-lock bag & place all the Oreo cookies inside. Seal bag shut & place on counter. Using a rolling pin, crush the cookies until they are small chunks/crumbs. You want them to still be chunky & small, but not fine crumbs.

Set aside half of the cookie crumbs for the topping. Pour the other half of cookie crumbs into a 9x13 baking pan. Pour the melted butter over the crumbs & mix well to combine. Once combined, press into the pan to form a crust.

In a bowl, whisk together the 2 pudding mixes & milk. Cover & place in fridge to set.

In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. Fold in one container of Cool Whip. Spread mixture over the cookie crust. Next, take chocolate pudding & spread over the cream cheese mixture. Spread the other container of Cool Whip over the chocolate pudding layer. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cookie crumbs. Cover & chill in fridge at least 2 hours before serving.
 

Enjoy ♥

School Lunch PB Bars

Does anybody remember eating peanut butter bars in grade school? I totally do. They served them as dessert with school lunches & I always remember thinking that one bar was just not enough!

This recipe is pretty darn close to what we experienced in grade school & it makes an entire cookie sheet full. I can only make them if I have a place to take them & share otherwise me & my husband would be forced to eat the entire pan. I must warn you though, they are kinda dangerous...at least in my chocolate/peanut butter loving world :)

School Lunch PB Bars

1 1/2 C Flour

1¼ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Baking Soda

¾ C Butter

¾ C Sugar

¾ C Brown Sugar

1 ½ tsp. Vanilla

1 1/2 C Creamy Peanut Butter (divided)

2 Eggs

1 ½ C Quick Oats

Frosting:

½ C Butter (1 stick)

3 ½ C Powdered Sugar

2 T Cocoa

¼ C Milk

1 tsp. Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugars, 3/4 C peanut butter, eggs & vanilla until light & fluffy. Gradually add dry ingredients, just until incorporated. Then, stir in the oats. Spread onto a greased 11 x 15 Jelly Roll Pan (cookie sheet). Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes.

The frosting is a two step process. First, whip the remaining ¾ C Creamy Peanut Butter until it becomes lighter colored & fluffy. Carefully spread the whipped peanut butter over the pan cookie.

Then, add butter to a small sauce pan & melt the butter. Add the milk & cocoa. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Heat just until boiling. Remove from heat & add vanilla. Then, gradually add the powdered sugar. Stir until thickened. Pour over the peanut butter & gently spread over the cookie. Cool completely, & slice into bar cookies.

Enjoy :)

Baked Potato Slices

So simple - I can't believe I didn't think of how to make these sooner?!

Ingredients:
Russet potatoes
butter
bacon crumbles
shredded cheddar cheese
green onion    

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
 
Cut potato into 1/4" slices. Brush both sides of potato slices with butter; place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned on both sides, turning once.
 
When potatoes are ready, top with bacon crumbles, shredded cheddar cheese, & green onion; continue baking until the cheese has melted! Can add a dollop of sour cream also - YUM!

Mini Corn Dog Bites

MINI CORN DOG BITES
 
How fun to make this with your kids or to just bring out the kid in you!!

Mix up an 8.5oz box of corn muffin mix, divide batter into the Mini-Muffin Pan and add hot dog slices. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375°. 

Enjoy this fun way to serve corn dogs with "flair!"

Banana Bread Brownies

Banana Bread Brownies
 
Ingredients:
1-1/2 c. sugar
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 eggs
1-3/4 (3 or 4) ripe bananas, mashed
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Brown Butter Frosting:
1/2 c. butter
4 c. powdered sugar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. milk

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375F. Grease and flour 15x10-inch jelly roll pan. For the bars, in a large bowl, beat together sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs until creamy. Blend in bananas and vanilla extract. Add flour, baking soda, salt, and blend for 1 minute. Stir in walnuts.

2. Spread batter evenly into pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

3. Meanwhile, for frosting, heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until boiling. Let the butter turn a delicate brown and remove from heat immediately.

4. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk. Whisk together until smooth (it should be thicker than a glaze but thinner than frosting). Using a spatula, spread the brown butter frosting over the warm bars (the frosting will be easier to spread while the bars are still warm).

Yield: 2 dozen large bars

PB Cookie Dough Dip

A decadent dip filled with chocolate chips and Reese's PB cups - YUM!!

 

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Dip
Yield: serves 10-12

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi sweet mini chocolate chips
8oz pkg Reese's peanut butter cup Minis (or about 1 1/2 cup chopped Reeses cups)
 
Instructions

In a small saucepan over medium heat, add brown sugar and butter. Whisk until completely combined and butter is melted. Bring to a boil, remove from heat. Whisk in the peanut butter and vanilla extract. Set aside to cool.
 
In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with powdered sugar until creamy (about 3-4 minutes. On low, add in brown sugar mixture (that has cooled to near room temp). Mix until combined. Fold in mini chocolate chips and mini Reese's cups. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Enjoy with pretzels, animal cracker and graham sticks.

Buffalo Chicken & Potato Casserole

Tried this new recipe tonight & it was really good. The hubby gave it 2 thumbs up so I will definitely be making it again!!

 photo credit

Buffalo Chicken & Potato Casserole

1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch strips
1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce
6 cups frozen southern-style hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 cup ranch dressing
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (10 oz) can condensed cream of celery soup
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup finely crushed corn flakes
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1. In a medium bowl, stir together chicken strips and wing sauce to coat; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the potatoes, ranch dressing, cheese, soup, onion, salt and pepper; blend well. Spoon into a 13×9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Arrange chicken strips over potato mixture.

3. In a small bowl, combine crushed corn flakes and butter or margarine. Sprinkle over chicken strips.

4. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 minutes longer or until the potatoes are tender and chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Makes 6 servings.

Taco Dip

I made this dip for a pool party with the girls & I pretty much took home an empty plate by the end of the day. I have made this several times for various get-togethers & it is always a winner amongst the crowd.

Taco Dip

8oz cream cheese

8oz sour cream

2 T finely chopped onion

1 pkg taco seasoning

shredded lettuce

shredded cheddar cheese

1 med tomato - chopped

1 small jar sliced black olives

Mix cream cheese, sour cream, onion & taco seasoning together. Spread on a 10"-12" platter.

Top with shredded lettuce, cheese, tomatoes & olives & serve with Doritos or tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Panini's

This past summer I have been on a "panini-kick" & have enjoyed making & eating these yummy sandwiches for lunch & dinner. I first fell in love with the Tomato, Basil, Mozzerella panini at Panera Bread & after studying the ingredients in the sandwich I thought I could easily whip one of these up at home. 

So I went out & bought a Cuisinart Panini Maker at Kohl's:

 

Then I bought the ingredients to replicate the Panera sandwich.

Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil Panini

Ciabatta bread

Sun-dried tomato spread

Mozzarella cheese ball

1 small, ripe tomato

fresh basil

Layer all ingredients on the sandwich & toast in panini press for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. I must say it is pretty much EXACT to the Panera sandwich & cost much less!

I also love this sandwich:

Avocado, Swiss, Turkey panini:

Ciabatta bread

Chipotle mayo

deli turkey

deli baby swiss cheese

sliced avocado

sliced red onion

1 small tomato, sliced

Layer all ingredients on the sandwich & toast in panini press for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted:

Mmmm Mmmm good!!!

Pumpkin Bread

2 weeks ago it was the beginning of Sept & when 9/1 rolls around I consider this the first day of fall around here. So I lit the fall candles, set out the fall decor & kicked off the season by making some pumpkin bread.

This recipe makes 2 loaves so I ended up giving one to my friend Keri, who also shares my love of fall & kept the other loaf which lasted less than 8 hours in  our house. 

 

Pumpkin Bread

3 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups solid pack pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

1 cup Crisco veg oil

3 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

1 cup raisins, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 loaf pans with no-stick cooking spray.

In a med bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg & salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the pumpkin, Crisco oil, sugar & eggs & mix well until blended. Add dry ingredients & mix well. By hand, stir in walnuts & raisins. Divide batter between prepared loaf pans & bake for 50-55 minutes, or until knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes then remove from pans & cool completely. Slice & enjoy!

Baked Potato - restaurant style

I grew up thinking that a good baked potato needed to be wrapped in aluminum foil & then baked in the oven. But then I discovered this recipe - Restaurant-Style Baked Potatoes. You know the ones with the crispy, salty skin & are super tender inside?? These are hands-down the best baked potatoes ever!!

Restaurant Style Baked Potato

6 large baking potatoes, scrubbed & patted dry

1/4 cup quality olive oil

1/4 cup coarse kosher or course sea salt

- Poke several holes in each potato

- Place salt in shallow dish, large enough for a single potato to fit

- Lightly brush olive oil over outside of each potato

- Roll each potato in salt (no need to cover, but should be present on all sides of the tater)

- Place in center of oven, directly on the oven rack

- Bake at 375 degrees for 60-70 minutes until fork tender

- Let cool slightly before serving

- Carefully open each potato & serve with butter, sour cream & whatever else you like.

I like to serve mine with a perfectly done filet :)