Red Velvet Cheesecake

Red Velvet Cheesecake

For the Crust:
1 ½ cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup butter, melted
1 TBSP granulated sugar

For the Filling:
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 TBSP unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sour cream
½ cup whole buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
2 (1 oz) bottles red food coloring

For the Topping:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Crust: Stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and 1 TBSP sugar; press mixture onto bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.

For the Filling: Beat together cream cheese and sugar at medium low speed with an electric mixer 1 minute.Add eggs, unsweetened cocoa, sour cream, buttermilk, vanilla extract, vinegar and food coloring. Mix on low speed just until fully combined.Pour batter into prepared pan.Bake at 325F for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 300F, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center is firm.Run knife along outer edge of cheese. Turn oven off and let cheesecake stand in oven 30 minutes.Remove cheesecake from oven; cool in pan on a wire rack for 30 m minutes.Cover and chill for 8 hours.

For the topping: Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth; gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until smooth.Remove cheesecake from refrigerator and spread topping evenly over top of cheesecake.Remove sides of springform. Garnish if desired.

Source: Southern Living Christmas Cookbook

Roasted Garlic Alfredo Pizza

Ingredients:

1 Pillsbury Pizza Dough
1-2 tbsp Olive oil
4 Cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 tbsp Alfredo sauce
1 cup Mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 400º. Roll out pizza dough on a cookie sheet sprayed with nonstick spray. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle on chopped garlic. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove pizza from oven and spread on a thin layer of alfredo sauce. Top with cheeses and bake until cheese has melted, 5-7 minutes.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Sugar
1 bag Hershey's Kisses

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. With a hand or stand mixer mix together shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar and 1/2 cup sugar. Add egg, milk and vanilla. Beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to mixture. Beat on low speed until stiff dough forms. Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Top each cookie immediately with a Hershey's Kiss, pressing down firmly so that cookie cracks around edge. Place on wire rack to cool.

You can also top them with mini Reeses cups.

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops and Oven Potato Wedges

I got this recipe from Giada Delaurentiis and it is awesome!

Ingredients
2 large eggs
1 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs
3/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
4 (1/2 to 3/4-inch thick) center-cut pork loin chops (each about 10 to 12 ounces)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil

Directions
Whisk the eggs in a pie plate to blend. Place the bread crumbs in another pie plate. Place the cheese in a third pie plate. Sprinkle the pork chops generously with salt and pepper. Coat the chops completely with the cheese, patting to adhere. Dip the chops into the eggs, then coat completely with the bread crumbs, patting to adhere.
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add pork chops, in batches if necessary, and cook until golden brown and the center reaches 150 degrees, about 6 minutes per side.


OVEN POTATO WEDGES

I made this one up so there really are no measurements. Cut 4-5 small potatoes into wedges. Rinse in cold water and dry. Put them in a medium bowl and sprinkle in salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, chili powder and parsely (or whatever spices you want). Pour in 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and toss to coat. Place in a single layer on a cookie sheet and cook at 400 degrees until golden brown (about 20-30 minutes). I like to put mine under the broiler for a few minutes to make them extra crispy.

Crock Pot Chili

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground turkey
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4-5 habanero peppers finely chopped
½ medium onion finely chopped
1 package chili seasoning mix
2 cans kidney beans, drained
1 16oz can tomato sauce
1 8oz can tomato paste
Cayenne pepper to taste

In a large skillet brown ground beef, turkey, onion and peppers in oil. Dump into crock pot. Pour in tomato sauce plus ½ can of water. Add tomato paste plus one can of water. Add beans and mix in chili seasoning mix and cayenne pepper. Stir. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Cinnamon Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons butter

Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease one 9x5 inch loaf pan. Add flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, salt, buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla into large mixing bowl. Beat 3 minutes. Pour into loaf pan. Smooth top. Combine 2 tablespoons white sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and butter, mixing until crumbly. Sprinkle topping over smoothed batter. Using knife, cut in a light swirling motion to give a marbled effect. Bake for about 50 minutes. Test with toothpick. When inserted it should come out clean. Remove bread from pan to rack to cool.

Stuffed Crust Pizza

1 pizza dough
8 mozzarella string cheese sticks
1 jar pizza sauce
1 bad shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg beaten
any toppings you want

Preheat oven to 350º. Roll out dough until its just bigger than your pizza pan. Open all the string cheese and roll them around the edges of the dough making sure they are sealed in.



Spread with sauce and top with shredded mozarella and toppings. Brush crust with egg. Bake on center rack until crust is brown.

Pineapple Smoothie

1/5 pineapple (including core)
1 container vanilla yogurt
4 oz pineapple juice
Splenda
ice

Put pineapple (cut up) into blender along wiht yogurt and pineapple juice and blend until smooth. Then add in 5-6 ice cubes and splenda to taste. Blend until smooth.

Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti

1 box ziti pasta
2 jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 large container ricotta cheese
1 bag shredded mozzarella (2 cups)
1 package pepperoni

Preheat oven to 350º F

Cook pasta to just under al dente. Drain. Put pasta in large baking dish. Stir in 1.5 jars of spaghetti sauce (save the rest to pour on when you nuke leftovers later). Stir in ricotta, ¾ of the mozzarella and pepperoni (as many as you want in there, but save some for the top). Smooth out the top evenly and cover with the remaining mozzarella and top with pepperoni. Cover with foil and bake at 350º for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes. I like my pepperoni crispy so I put it under the broiler until the cheese is brown and bubbly and the pepperoni are nice and crispy.

Pollo con Queso

I always order this when I go to Mexican restaurants. I decided I could easily make it at home so this is what I came up with. It is just as good if not better than what I get in the restaurants and the best part is I can use as much cheese sauce as I want.



Pollo con Queso

3 large chicken breasts cut in bite sized pieces
2 tbsps taco seasoning
1 cup white cheese dip
Sour Cream

In a large frying pan heat the oil. Add in the chicken and sprinkle with the taco seasoning. Cook on medium heat until chicken is cooked through stirring regularly. While chicken is cooking, in a small sauce pan add cheese dip and sour cream. I don’t measure the sour cream, but I use about 1/3 of a small container. Heat on low until cheese and sour cream are melted and warm. Plate the chicken and pour over a little of the cheese sauce. Use the rest of the sauce for dipping your favorite tortilla chips.

Side suggestion: Mexican rice or refried beans.

Crock Pot Roast and Gravy

Crock Pot Roast and Gravy

1 Pot Roast
1/2 small onion - chopped
1/2 Cup flour
1 package onion gravy mix
2 tbsp oil
carrots and potatoes (or any other veggies you want) (optional)

Salt, pepper and flour both sides of the roast. In a large frying pan heat up the oil. Put roast in pan and add in onions. Cook roast for 3-5 minutes per side, just until it starts to brown. Remove roast from pan and put it in your crock pot. Pour 2 cups of water in frying pan with onions and whisk in 1 package of onion gravy mix until well blended. Simmer for 3-5 minutes and pour over roast. If it does not completely cover the roast pour in some more water until its covered. Toss in veggies. Cook on low for at least 8 hours. Serve over rice.