Apple Pie Cheddar Dip

This dip is so delicious!!!! I had all of the ingredients in my refrigerator and threw it together for an impromptu girls night. We all inhaled it!

Ingredients:

2 apples, finely chopped
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 8oz block of light cream cheese
2 cups cheddar cheese
1/2 cup light sour cream

Directions:
Toss apples, brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.

Combine cheese in a bowl then spread into a greased pie pan. Top with apples.

Bake for about 20 minutes (until bubbly) on 375.

Serve with crackers or toasted bread.

recipe adapted from Gooseberry

Streusel Coffee Cake

I will definitely be making this recipe lot of times this fall/winter.  It was super easy and incredibly tasty.  My only disclaimer is that my cake did not turn out as pretty as the one in the picture shown.  My topping looked a little uneven even though I swore it was even when I sprinkled it on, lol.  This recipe took less than 30 minutes to make and I had all items on hand for it so I considered it a pretty easy baking project.  This would be a great dessert to take to someone's house over the holidays!  We served ours warm with vanilla bean ice cream.  yummm...    

Ingredients:

• TOPPING:
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon sugar
  
  CAKE:
• 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup melted butter (we used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375.

In small mixing bowl, combine topping ingredients. Blend with fork until crumbly. This takes a few minutes longer than you may think.  Keep going until it gets to the right consistency.  Set aside.

Sift 1 1/2 cups sifted flour with baking powder and salt into a bowl.

In a medium bowl, stir together beaten egg and 3/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup melted butter. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture and mix well.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square or 9-inch layer-cake pan. Sprinkle topping crumb mixture evenly over batter.  Bake 24 to 28 minutes, or until cake is done.   Be careful not to overcook.   Allow to partially cool.  Then cut coffee cake into squares while still warm.   Serves great with vanilla ice cream or a cup of coffee.  Enjoy!


*recipe adapted from here
*picture courtesy of here

Pumpkin Cupcakes With Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe kept popping up on Pinterest and I could not deny it any longer! It was a perfect early fall day to bake while the rest of the weird world watches football.  ;)
I am amazed at the taste.....  absolutely mind blowing.  This recipe is the "lighter" version of the original that came from a recipe magazine. 
I've already had two....  consider yourself forewarned because I am not a big dessert type of person.  They are just that good! 

Ingredients

Cupcakes:
1/4 Cup Butter, Softened (we used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter sticks)
3/4 Cup CINNAMON apple sauce
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar, Packed Firmly (we used dark brown sugar)
2 Large Eggs (we used egg whites)
3/4 Cup 1% Milk
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 (15 Ounce) Can Pumpkin Puree
2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

FROSTING:
1 (8 Ounce) Package Reduced Fat Cream Cheese (Not Fat Free!)
1/4 Cup Butter, Softened
4 Cups Confectioners Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, add in butter, applesauce, sugars, and eggs and beat over medium speed until combined. Add in pumpkin and continuing beating until thoroughly mixed in.  In a liquid measuring cup, combine milk and lemon juice and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine remaining dry ingredients. Slowly, over medium speed, add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, alternating with the milk mixture, beating well after each addition. Line cupcakes trays with paper liners and then spray lightly with a non-stick cooking spray.

Fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
 
To make frosting, combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and beat over low speed until ingredients begin to combine, slowly increase speed and continue beating until a frosting is formed. It takes a few minutes and several times I was worried that I did something wrong.  But in the end, it ended up perfect.

Frost the cooled cupcakes and enjoy! 

Summer Barley Salad

This salad has become my new food obsession. It is just plain wonderful! You can eat it as a side dish, main dish or serve it as an appetizer with some tortilla chips. The recipe makes a TON, but don't worry - it won't go to waste! **Warning** The barley takes about an hour to cook so allow enough time to make it!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups  uncooked pearl barley
1 cup  fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
1 cup  diced seeded plum tomato (about 2 small)
1/2 cup  chopped green onions
1/4 cup  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
20  kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped (I used an entire container)
5 tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
5 tablespoons  olive oil
1/4 teaspoon  salt
1/4 teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
1  garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup  (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese (also used a whole container here)

Preparation
Cook barley according to package directions, omitting salt.
Drain and rinse with cold water; drain. Cool completely.
Combine barley, corn, and next 4 ingredients (through kalamata olives) in a bowl.
Combine juice and next 4 ingredients (through garlic), stirring well with a whisk; drizzle over barley mixture. Toss to coat.
Sprinkle with cheese.

recipe adapted from Cooking Light

Sausage Stuffed Jalapenos

I had these at a cookout recently and they blew my mind! So delicious with the perfect amount of spice. We have had an abundance of jalapenos from out garden this year so I decided to make these for a snack one evening. We definitely needed more people to help us eat them but hopefully they reheat well!



Ingredients
1 pound ground pork sausage (you can substitute with turkey sausage)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened (I used light)
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 pound large fresh jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 (8 ounce) bottle Ranch dressing (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place sausage in a skillet over medium heat, and cook until evenly brown.
Drain grease.
In a bowl, mix the sausage, cream cheese, and Parmesan cheese.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon sausage mixture into each jalapeno half.
Arrange stuffed halves in baking dishes.
Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until bubbly and lightly browned. Serve with Ranch dressing.

recipe courtesy of all recipes

Summer Veggie Pasta

We are leaving for vacation in a few days and I needed to get rid of some of these wonderful summer veggies that I have sitting around.   I was craving carbs so I thought why not add them to pasta?  We had this for dinner but it would be great served as a side dish too in a small portion.  I bet it would pair wonderfully with fish.  And you could use whatever veggies you want for this... I was missing something green.  Next time I think I will add asparagus. 

Ingredients:
1/2 box linguine noodles
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
4-5 eggplant slices, peeled and cut in small chunks (we had some leftover from the Grilled Chicken Parmesan Subs with Eggplant)
2 cups squash, peeled and cut in small chunks
1 TBS italian seasoning (more or less to taste)
2 TBS EVOO
1/2 teaspoon dried basil (more or less to taste)
2 TBS grated parmesan cheese (more or less to taste)
dash salt & pepper to taste (optional)

1.  Cook pasta according to directions.  Drain well. 

2.  Heat a large nonstick pan on medium heat.  Add the  EVOO to the pan.  Swirl to coat. 

3.  Once pan is heated, add the veggies.   Sprinkle the italian seasoning over them and stir gently.   You can optionally add s&p here too.  Let saute for 4-5 minutes or until slightly tender, stirring gently every minute or so.  Be careful not to overcook or else they will get mushy.   Immediately remove from heat once done BUT LEAVE IN THE PAN THEY WERE COOKED IN.

4.  Add the well drained pasta to a mixing bowl.   Pour in the veggie EVOO mix.  Make sure you get all the veggie sauce out of the pan.   Then sprinkle with the dried basil, Parmesan cheese and s&p (if desired).    Mix well.    Enjoy. 

Grilled Chicken Parmesan Sub with Eggplant

WOW.   My husband amazed us again with this latest kitchen creation.    Most delicious sub I've ever had and healthy too!  He's so creative lately and I am NOT complaining.   Even my kids gobbled this up.   So flavorful and delicious.   And all of the main ingredients came to less than $12 (excluding the things we always have on hand like EVOO & italian seasoning).

Ingredients:
1 package of boneless skinless chicken breast tenderloins
4 six inch sub rolls from the bakery department of your local store (ours were $.50 each)
1 package part skim Mozzarella Cheese (or 1/4 lb if buying from a deli)
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut in 1/2" slices
1 small jar of Prego marinara sauce (or your own favorite)
1 TBS EVOO
2 TBS italian seasoning


1.  Heat grill to medium- high heat.

2.  Pour the EVOO in the smallest bowl you have.   Add 1 TBS italian seasoning and stir to mix.

3.  Lay out the eggplant slices on a plate.   Lightly brush each piece with a little of the EVOO / Italian Seasoning mix.

4.  Sprinkle the chicken tenderloins with the other TBS of italian seasoning.

5.  Add chicken & eggplant to the grill.

6.  Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 and put the marinara sauce in a small pan on the stove on low-medium.  

7.  Gently turn the eggplant over after a few minutes.  Be careful not to let overcook.  A few minutes on each side should be good enough.   When chicken is thoroughly cooked, transfer to a plate.  Allow to cool for 2-3 minutes and then slice the tenders into 2-3" chunks.  Then slice the eggplant pieces in half.  The eggplant should be soft, but not mushy if cooked correctly. 

8.  Cut the sub rolls in half with a bread knife (be careful not to cut all the way through).   Add a few pieces of chicken and eggplant to each roll.   Then stuff in 1/2 piece of cheese each.   Add 1-2 TBS of the sauce on top (more or less to taste preference), then add another full piece of cheese on top.   Place the sub rolls against the outer edge of a baking pan to keep them upright.   Put in oven for 3-5 minutes but WATCH CLOSELY.   You just want the cheese to melt.   Enjoy!