peanut butter chocolate protein bars

my son and husband have quite the sweet tooth...so i found a healthy alternative for them. these protein bars mimic no bake cookies and are much healthier. i have altered the recipe to make it how they like it so i will  post both recipes. the original recipe came from my arbonne girl. 

ours is a little more peanut buttery which makes them more of a creamy fudge consistency. and the original recipe is more firm and more like a no bake consistency.

i have also done this with and without the oats...sometimes my little prefers no oats. by omitting the oats they do not set up as firmly so you can play with it and add less honey or peanut butter. 

ingredients

2 1/2 cups of peanut butter 

3/4 cup of honey

2 1/4 cups chocolate protein powder (i love arbonnes pea protein)

2 cups of oatmeal

mix all ingredients together. i use a spatula to fold them all together. the mixture will be thick. once mixed i pour into a square container with a lid and press the mixture out to the edges. then refrigerate. 

original recipe with same method

2 cups peanut butter 

1 1/4 cups of honey

2 1/4 cups protein powder

3 cups of oatmeal

enjoy!!

avocado cucumber tomato salad

salads are one of my favorite things to eat...i never get sick of eating vegetables like i do chicken so i am always trying new ideas for not so average salads.

i was having some friends over for an essential oils class and although i had a few not so healthy options (beer bread and dip, chocolate pound cake) i wanted something light and healthy too. 

most of the ingredients i did have on hand and this was super easy to throw together!

ingredients:

1/2 of a medium red onion

2 lb. roma tomatoes

2 english cucumbers or 6 mini cucumbers

2 firm avocados 

large handful of of cilantro chopped

2-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 lemons - juice from 1 whole lemon (2-3 tbsp) plus a little extra for avocados 

1-2 teaspoons of course ground sea salt

2-3 turns of freshly ground pepper from a pepper mill

method:
1. chop all ingredients and place the onion, tomatoes, cucumber and cilantro in a large salad bowl. as soon as i chop my avocados i toss them in lemon juice to help stop the browning effect. i also make sure that the avocados are more firm than i would usually purchase for other recipes. this also helps with slower browning and gives the salad a nice texture.


2. drizzle the salad with olive oil and lemon juice then gently combine. just before serving add the salt and pepper. doing this just before serving is best otherwise the salt will draw out a lot of juice form the vegetables and could make the salad a little mushy. 

feel free to add more lemon juice to taste or even a freshly pressed garlic clove to your olive oil. looking for a little more protein...grilled shrimp would be amazing in this salad! 

also, fresh dill could be substituted for the cilantro

enjoy!!

super yummy sloppy joes

sloppy joes are great for parties and easy to whip together last minute. i prefer sloppy joes but i am a little picky about the flavor. i do not like too sweet or sweet at all really and i enjoy a little kick. 

here is my little twist on sloppy joes…

ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds of ground sirloin or ground turkey 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1/4 cup brown sugar

2-3 tablespoons of your favorite steak seasoning 

2 cloves pressed garlic

1 medium onion chopped 

1 small red bell pepper 

1-2 tablespoons worcestshire sauce 

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 1/2 to 2 cups tomato sauce (depending on how sloppy you want them)

2 tablespoons tomato paste 

1/4 teaspoon or pinch of cayenne pepper (depends on taste)

crusty rolls (your favorite buns or rolls)

directions

1. heat oil in a large skillet and add meat. break up the meat and continue to brown over medium-high heat. 

2. stir together the brown sugar and steak seasoning. add the sugar/steak seasoning mixture and press the garlic cloves into the meat and stir while meat continues to brown.

3. once the meat has browned, add the onions and red peppers. add the red wine vinegar, worcestershire to the mixture and continue to cook onions and peppers. 

4. add tomato paste and sauce to the pan, stir into the meat mixture let to simmer 5-10 minutes.

enjoy!!

1. 
   

home made chex mix…one my husbands favorites

my husband asks me to make home made chex mix every year around the holiday season. it's one of our favorite and festive snack foods. once you make it yourself the store-bought bags just do not cut it. i use the chex mix recipe on the back of their box as my base but as you all know i always make recipes my own based on the flavors we enjoy…so a little more worcestershire sauce, more garlic powder and of course more butter. kids love to help with this and its so easy to get them involved. 

ingredients

4 cups of corn chex

4 cups of wheat chex

4 cups of rice chex

2 cups of mixed nuts

2 cups of pretzels 

2 cups of garlic flavored bagel chips broken up

2 cups of regular flavor cheerios (sometimes i add these too they are optional)

16 tablespoons of butter (2 sticks)

4 tablespoons of worcestershire sauce (maybe more)

1 1/2 teaspoons of season salt (my favorite is tastefully simple)

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

3/4 teaspoon of onion powder 

method

1. in a very large bowl, mix cereals, nuts, pretzels and bagel chips. in a secondary small microwaveable bowl melt butter for about one minute or until melted. Stir in all seasonings well. Pour over dry mixture and ensure an even coating. i use my hands to fold and toss the cereal. it will seem wet and maybe even some slightly soggy pieces but don't worry it dries out in the oven roasting process. 

2. you can microwave on high for 5-6 minutes in a microwave safe bowl stirring about every 2 minutes but i choose to roast ours in the oven. place the mix into 2 or 3 roasting pans or i also use shallow bar pans to make sure it all gets roasted. sprinkle each pan of mix with a little garlic powder on top. set oven temperature to 200-250 degrees bake for one hour stirring very 15 minutes. then lay out the chex mix on paper towels to cool before placing in an air tight container. 

the flavor is bold so feel free to decrease or add more of your favorite flavors!

enjoy!!

heath bar cream cheese apple dip

so do not look at the apples and think this is healthy…it is not. but i can say it sure is yummy! this is a great time of year to whip this up for a party or family gathering it is always a hit and i have never had leftovers. this recipe is so easy and most of the time we have all of the ingredients on hand to whip it up for last minute guests.

ingredients 

1-8 ounce package of cream cheese softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 package of mini heath bars frozen then finely chopped
3-4 tart apples or i use my favorite honey crisp

1. mix the softened cream cheese, sugars and vanilla in a bowl until well blended. sugars may give the cream cheese a slightly gritty texture until it sits for a bit and dissolves completely. place the mixture in a round serving bowl or plate. i used the pampered chef collapsable bowl for this party and it actually worked perfect.

2. sprinkle the chopped heath bar chips on top. then wash and slice the apples.




enjoy!!

luscious lemon cookies

as we grasp on to the last weeks of summer these lemon cookies are perfect for your labor day picnic! i am such a fan of lemon flavored treats…if i had to say i had a weakness for any sweets lemon is the one. hope you give these a try and if you loved them please come back and let me know. 

have a safe and fun weekend!!

ingredients

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/2 tsp salt

10 tablespoons of salted butter, softened 

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons lemon zest 

1 large egg plus one yolk

3-4 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice 

3/4 teaspoon lemon extract

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract 

1 cup of powdered sugar

directions

1. pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. in a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

2. in a secondary bowl mix together butter, sugar, lemon zest with an electric mixer until fluffy and pale yellow.  add eggs and mix well. then add lemon juice and extracts until combined.

3. set mixer on low speed and add dry ingredients to the butter mixture until well combined. 

4.  use a 2 oz scoop to ball the cookie dough and drop in the bowl of powdered sugar. cover generously with powdered sugar. using a round medium sized cookie cutter press the dough ball with the palm of your hand to flatten and form the dough within the cookie cutter on your baking sheet. remove the cookie cutter dip in powdered sugar to prevent sticking and repeat steps until dough is gone. i learned this trick from my mom and love the perfect shape i get.

5. bake 10-13 minutes until tops are indented slightly 

enjoy!!

my favorite shortbread cookie recipe

if you have followed me for any length of time you know i am not a big fan of sweets. when i do get a "sweet tooth" its usually for something not too sweet…like a shortbread cookie. this recipe is a simple 4 ingredient cookie recipe and oh so tasty.  you can enjoy these just as they are or drizzle them with pretty much any flavor of icing (lemon maybe)…or how about dipping half of the cookie in chocolate.  we actually drizzled these with a home made fresh strawberry icing. a little more work to make the icing but it was worth it.  i will post the strawberry icing recipe and when i do i will link it up to this post as well.


ingredients
2 cups butter
1 cup of white sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
4 cups of all-purpose flower


method
1. pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F

2. cream butter and sugar until fluffy and stir in vanilla. slowly add in flour mixing well.

3. roll out the cookies or use a cookie press. we rolled these out and used a mini cookie cutter and made them into these cute frilly shapes. we baked these for 10 minutes or until a very light golden brown. baking times will vary depending on the size of cookie and oven. so if you prefer to do a larger cookie just do a test round and bake one or two to see how they turn out.

enjoy!! 

strawberry cucumber and basil salad

i was searching for a light summery salad with strawberries as the main ingredient for our women's event on friday and came across this one. the fresh basil and crunchy cucumbers had me sold on this right away! we received a lot of compliments on this salad and its super easy with most of the ingredients readily available in your kitchen. we did add some romaine lettuce to make it more of a salad and you could also lay the salad overtop lettuce.

4 cups (1 pound) hulled strawberries cut into quarters
2 tablespoons of fresh basil thinly sliced (i actually use kitchen shears to cut the thin strips)
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of sugar
2 medium cucumbers just over 2 cups sliced
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper

method: 

1. peel and seed cucumbers; halve lengthwise, and slice thin.

1. combine strawberries, basil, vinegar, and sugar. toss to coat and chill for 1 hour.
2. 2. combine cucumbers and lemon juice; toss to coat.
3. 3. after chilling, add cucumber mixture, salt, and pepper to strawberry mixture. gently toss to combine, and serve immediately.

roasted mushroom and kale pizzette

giada de laurentiis is my absolute favorite on the cooking network and she is also an inspiration. 

she is beautiful, fun, i love her bubbly personality and well then there is her amazing kitchen skills!

the other day my husband and i were watching an episode of her show and my husband started talking about these little pizzas she made… "how hard would those be to make babe?" i knew what he was aiming for : ) 

"not hard at all…are you wanting some giada pizzettes?"

and off to the store i went. i would actually have had all but the (non home made) dough and cremini mushrooms but our cupboards were pretty bare and it was time for a grocery trip.

these were amazing!! i followed the recipe exactly and will definitely be making it again but likely with home made or frozen bread. these would work just the same as a large regular sized pizza. And also putting all of these ingredients in a rolled out crust then rolling it into a pizza roll would work as well. 

i paired this with a baby spinach kale and chard salad toped with walnuts carrot ribbons and gorgonzola with a balsamic and olive oil dressing. we had them for dinner but these would make an awesome game day snack just in time for the super bowl this weekend!!

ingredients:

8 ounces or cremini mushrooms sliced

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt

1 ball store bought pizza dough (12 to 16 ounces)

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella 

1 small bunch of tuscan kale (about 4 leaves), ribs removed and cut into ribbons

2 ounces of gorgonzola, crumbled 

1. place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees fahrenheit. Toss the mushrooms with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and sea salt then roast on a baking sheet or foil until they are golden brown about 6 yo 8 minutes. then set aside. 

2. roll out pizza dough to 1/4 inch thickness. use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut out circles in the dough and transfer the circles to a parchment- lined baking sheet or stone…i used a stone from pampered chef. 

3. drizzle the dough circles lightly with olive oil. place a teaspoon of mozzarella on each circle, then top with the mushrooms and then the kale ribbons, i used kitchen shears to cut the kale into ribbons. finally top each circle with gorgonzola crumbles. drizzle with a little more olive oil and bake until they are golden and bubbly about 10 minutes.  arrange on a platter and serve 

enjoy!

jerk chicken nachos

these are perfect for game day…and tonight is the big game!!

although i will not be indulging in these tonight you can! 

this is one of my favorite recipes for nachos and it is from the pampered chef. 

ingredients: 

• 6 cups tortilla chips
• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar or monterey jack
• 2 tablespoons jamaican jerk rub ( i use pampered chefs version) 
• 1 small yellow or red bell pepper
• 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup sour cream mixed with 1 tsp additional Jamaican jerk rub

 

• 1. preheat oven to 425 degrees 
• 2.
  in bowl, combine chicken, cheese and 1 tablespoon jerk rub; mix gently. sprinkle chicken mixture over tortilla chips. bake 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted.
• 3.
  dice the bell pepper. cut lime in half crosswise and juice half of the lime; add remaining jerk rub and bell pepper to the lime juice and mix well/ 
• 4.
  snip cilantro. slice remaining half of the lime.
• 5.
  spoon bell pepper mixture over nachos; sprinkle evenly with cilantro. take the remaining 1/4 cup sour cream and mix with the jerk seasoning. i then used a plastic storage bag cut the corner of it and squeezed the sour cream onto the nachos through the bag…you could also use any other pastry decorating tool or dollop it on.
  
  enjoy!
  go bucks…pluck those ducks!!

turkey chili

i was inspired to make this yummy chili after waking up to a snow (too cold) day, a desire to make a warm and healthy comfort food and the fact i have multiple cans of various beans in my cupboard. 

chili is basically a dish you can make into what ever creation you would like. i do not make it too often because i am the only one that eats it. i hope you'll enjoy this recipe. 

i actually had all the ingredients on hand to make this chili…the only thing i was hoping to add to the top was cilantro one of my favorite herbs. but i will be stopping out to get it tomorrow…

not today…brrrrrrrr!!

this made so much chili i am going to freeze it in mason jars so i can easily warm it up. 

1.25 pounds of lean ground turkey (i used a free range brand)
1 half of a large yellow onion chopped
5 cloves of peeled and chopped fresh garlic
1 large pablano pepper seeded and chopped
1 small to medium yellow squash sliced then cubed
a handful of cherry tomatoes sliced into 3rd or 4ths
1 can black beans rinsed
1 can kidney beans rinsed
1 can cannellini beans rinsed
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon i used vietnamese cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups of water or vegetable stock
3 teaspoons salt
olive oil
garnish with: avocado, fresh cilantro, cheese or sour cream


1. heat olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven until hot. reduce heat to simmer add the onion, pablano, squash and garlic. cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are softened 6-7 minutes.

2. increase heat to medium and add the ground turkey. cook the turkey until it is no longer pink and be sure to break it up with a wooden spoon during cooking

3. add the 3 cans of beans stir, then add the dry spices and stir again. pour in the 3 cups of water. and add the tomatoes. allow to simmer 20-30 minutes so the flavors begin to meld. the longer the better remember the saying that chili is better the day after : )

just remember make it your own! feel free to add more salt, spices or vegetables and the same goes for decreasing amounts i have mentioned this could easily be made into a vegetarian dish!


enjoy!

mm cookies

this recipe is from the hershey’s 1934 cookbook and was given to me by my cousin alisha. it was given to her by my great grandmother edna, whom we called minnie. i was lucky enough to be able to know her and actually spent a lot of time with her so this seemed extra special to me. 

the recipe is actually a base for any type of candy you would like to add to a cookie. i chose mm’s. as you can see from the pick the store was all out of the festive green and red so i opted for the regular colors. i think i nailed this recipe its pretty yummy. instead of sour milk though I used regular whole milk and i only used about a cup and a half of mm’s.

ingredients
¾ cup of sugar
½ cup light brown sugar packed
2/3 cup of butter softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup sour milk or regular whole milk
2 cups of all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ teaspoon of salt
2 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips or other candy or nuts


preparation
1. pre-heat oven to 375 F cream the sugars and butter until light and fluffy. then add egg and vanilla; beat well. lastly add the milk and beat into mixture. 

2. in separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. whisk together to combine all dry ingredients.

3. slowly add flour mixture to sugar mixture and mix.

4. lastly fold in candy and nuts of your choice and also the desired amount you want.

5. drop by spoonfuls on cookie pan/sheet and bake 8-11 minutes

enjoy!

minnie and papa dixon (love) 

fettuccine with basil, parmesan and italian turkey sausage

last monday i was in the mood for pasta and red sauce…once in a while i crave this combination. 

i am not much for either one, so my italian husband really appreciates these moments. 

this could also be turned into a crock pot meal but I would boil the pasta right before its dinner time. 

i had these ingredients at home already and felt a little creative... here is what i came up with…it turned out amazing! 

my husbands comment, "this is better than any italian restaurant."(he's very honest)

 mission accomplished!

4-8 oz of fettuccine (this was dinner for 2 so i probably used 4 oz.)
4 sweet italian turkey sausage
2 large garlic cloves
1 jar of mids pasta sauce (i used half of the jar)
1 block of parmesan reggiano (shaved)
basil leaves
olive oil
crushed red pepper (optional)

1. fill pan with water to prepare the pasta as directed on box. cut sausage into slices and brown in a skillet with a little olive oil.

2. once sausage is thoroughly cooked add pasta sauce and garlic to the skillet then let simmer. boil noodles.

3. shave desired amount of parmesan cheese and shop 6-7 leaves of basil. drain pasta and place on plate. spoon pasta sauce and sausage over the fettuccine then garnish with cheese and basil.


cooks tip: if you freeze the sausage for a little bit it makes it easier to slice.


enjoy!!

peanut butter corn flake cookies

these amazing treats are little bites of something amazing! so simple and no baking involved!!


peanut butter cornflake cookies

1 cup sugar
1 cup karo corn syrup

bring to a rolling boil, turn off heat and add: 

2 cups peanut butter

mix well ; pour over 6 ½ cups cornflakes

drop on wax paper with a teaspoon or roll them into little balls like i do! (just be careful they are hot!) i make them bite sized so they are eater friendly!

makes about 7 dozen 

cooks tip:
be very careful you don’t over boil the sugar and corn syrup; you don’t want it to turn hard. 
once you have it down according to your pan and stove make a note of how many minutes 
so your cookies will turn out crunchy creamy every time.

twice baked potatoes

i am a fan of spuds…you can keep bread away from me i could care less but potatoes can not be avoided especially with a grilled steak. i do not make these very often because they are super unhealthy and generally we eat clean but for one of those days you want to splurge these are amazing. and really nothing special…i just added the ingredients we like. some of my favorite recipes have no recipe at all just my creation! so check it out and let me know what you think. these can definitely be prepared the morning of or even the day before since the last step is to warm up or re-heat.

ingredients

6 large restaurant style potatoes

1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese

1/4 cup sour cream (we love daisy)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter…but don't tell anyone

1 cup of bacon bits (i prefer fresh so i cook the bacon and make my own crumbles)

1 cup of green onions/scallions chopped

1/2 cup of chives finely chopped

course seas salt

1. heat oven to 400 degrees. wash potatoes and then poke holes in them with a knife or fork. re-wet the potato if necessary and sprinkle with sea salt…you want the salt to stick. place directly on oven rack and back for about an hour until potatoes are soft with a slightly crunchy skin…yum!

2. remove from the oven and allow to cool so potatoes can be handled. once they are cool enough to touch slice them long ways down the center. then scoop out the inside of the potato and place in a medium sized mixing bowl.   (see photos below)





















3. once the insides of the potato are all scooped out place the stick of butter (yikes) in the bowl and allow the butter to melt with a lid on top or pop it in the microwave for a few seconds.  then mash potatoes using an electric mixer. you could hand mash as well but i prefer smooth and no lumps and hand mixing can take some time. mix until they are well blended and creamy. then add sour cream and mix. the remaining ingredients i fold in together. add the cheese, half of the bacon crumbles and scallions mix until evenly distributed.

4. next step is to fill the potato skins with that yummy mixture above. i actually used an easy accent decorator from the pampered chef to fill mine but feel fee to use a spoon or any other type of kitchen gadget.

5.  sprinkle remaining bacon bits over the top of each potato. if the bacon bits start to fall off gently press them into the potato.  place the potatoes in a pan or on a cookie sheet and warm at 350 degrees. you could also add them to the top rack of your grill if you are grilling. remove from oven or grill and sprinkle with scallions.

enjoy!!

mini stuffed peppers

sometimes i am in the mood to follow recipes where i may add a few extra of this or none of that to make it my own. sometimes when the mood strikes me i come up with my "own" creations and just roll with it. these turned out pretty good and would make a great snack or something you can make for dinner. 

they were husband approved. 

1-1.5 pounds extra lean ground turkey

1 cup black beans (i omitted these for my husbands)

mini sweet peppers tops chopped off and seeded or use regular sized bell peppers if preferred

2 large cloves of pressed garlic

2 tablespoons of taco seasoning

1 tablespoon adobe seasoning (not needed but i used it) 

pinch of cayenne (optional)

2-4 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese

1 teaspoon parsley 

1/2 cup red onions or scallions 

1. pre-heat oven to 400. brown the ground turkey in a large pan. you can cut the tops off the peppers and seed them during this step.

2. once turkey is cooked all the way through add 2 tablespoons of the goat cheese (more or less to taste) to warm mixture and stir in so it melts into the meat. add the pressed garlic and stir in. add taco seasoning, parsley, cayenne, adobe and stir in. add a little bit of water if needed to blend.

3. finally fold in the beans, onions you could even add corn (i didn't want the extra sugar) and then stuff the peppers. place in a pan with foil over top or i used a deep covered baker with lid for mine. place in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until peppers are tender.

enjoy!

pulled pork…sliders

so i have never really been a huge fan of pork but i must say these tasty little sandwiches may be the exception to the "rule". these are great since most of the day they are spent in the slow cooker and virtually have zero prep. i have made these for entertaining hungry ufc fans and family dinners.  also feel free to use regular buns…pictured here are sliders that i made up for entertaining.

ingredients

2-3 pound boneless pork shoulder aka pork butt (i know right…butt is the best cut of meat for this recipe or i have used pork loin) 

1-2 cans or bottles of your favorite root beer (bargs is our favorite)

1 tablespoon of garlic powder or 1 clove pressed

1 bottle of your favorite bbq sauce (our preference is sweet baby rays…yum)

salt to taste

directions

1. rub roast with salt and garlic. pour root beer into the slow cooker. then place roast fat side up inside the slow cooker. i prefer to have roast nearly covered. cook for time indicated. generally 9-11 hours on low and 5-7 hours on high.

2. after its finished cooking, remove from slow cooker and place on a cutting board that has an edge to catch any juice. use two forks to gently shred the pork and place back in the slow cooker on warm. add desired amount of bbq sauce and stir into the meat. you can add a tiny bit of water to help the sauce stir in. let sit for 5 minutes in slow cooker then serve on buns or sliders.

enjoy

easy home made croutons

these home made croutons were super simple.

all you need is italian bread either fresh or even a little stale, olive oil and your favorite seasonings.

slice bread into cubes

toss in olive oil

add desired spices and toss again

for these i used sea salt, pepper and a dash of cayenne.

place in a microwave safe bowl and put in the microwave for 30 second increments tossing in between until desired crispness.

yes that easy!!!

enjoy

alfredo sauce

if you are like me, the jar of alfredo sauce sitting on a grocery store shelf is just not going to cut it. i really can't even stomach the stuff. so when you are opting to stay in instead of indulging in your favorite italian restaurant the best kind of alfredo…home made. 

i made this over the weekend and served it over lobster ravioli…double yum!!

of course this isn't healthy…it's full of butter, cream and cheese…yum!!

ingredients 

3/4 cup of butter (one and half sticks)

3 cloves of pressed garlic (more or less to taste)

2 cups of heavy cream

2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese

your favorite pasta, ravioli, manicotti or other choice 

freshly ground pepper (optional)

1. begin to boil the water for your desired pasta. 

2. melt butter in a medium sized pan over medium to low heat (butter can burn pretty easily)

3. add the pressed garlic and cream then bring the mixture to a simmer. if the mixture begins to boil turn the heat down. add the cheese and stir with a whisk allowing it to simmer until desired thickness.

4. be sure to cook pasta as directed on package while sauce is simmering.

5. pour over pasta and…

enjoy!!

sopapilla cheesecake bars

 

these bars were incredibly easy and turned out delicious. my husband's favorite dessert is cheesecake so making these was a must. a cheesecake flavor with out the cheesecake fuss. 

i prefer to use the seamless crescents but the grocery store i went to was either out or didn't carry them, so i had to get the perforated kind…they turned out prettier than expected. : )

ingredients

2 cans of seamless pillsbury crescent rolls (the perforated ones will do)

2 eight ounce blocks of philadelphia cream cheese

1 tablespoon of vanilla (you can do less but i like vanilla)

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of melted butter

cinnamon and sugar mix (estimate quarter cup of sugar and tablespoon of cinnamon) add more cinnamon if you prefer

1. pre-heat oven as directed on crescent roll package (350 degrees for a dark pan). unroll one can of crescent rolls and lay on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. if you aren't using the seamless crescents be sure to roll over the seems and make sure its is smooth.

2. in a bowl mix the 2 blocks of softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth and no longer lumpy. hand mixing works for this if you do not want to get the mixer out. once the mixture is smooth spread evenly over crescent base. 

3. unroll second crescent tube. i laid this layer of the crescent on a cutting board and used a mini rolling pin to close the seems and increase the size to fit the pan. lay the top piece over the cream cheese mixture. pour the melted butter all over the top of the crescents then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. bake for 25-30 minutes.

4. once cooled they will cut well. but i put mine in the refrigerator and served them cold…just like a cheesecake. room temperature is great as well.

enjoy!