Key Lime Cheesecake tarts

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes
Serves: 10 tarts

8 oz. softened cream cheese
½ cup sour cream
6 Tablespoons lime juice
14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
10 preformed graham cracker individual tarts
2 cups assorted fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries, sliced strawberries)

1. In a bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, lime juice, and sweetened condensed milk.
2. Spoon cream cheese mixture into graham cracker tart shells. Place in refrigerator for several hours or until cold and solidified.
3. To serve, top the tarts with berries and serve.

2 am feeding brownies

Ingredients

• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup each milk chocolate chips, semisweet chocolate chips and vanilla or white chips
• 3 Snickers candy bars (2.07 ounces each), cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, combine the eggs and butter; add to the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in chips.
• Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Immediately sprinkle with candy bar pieces. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Yield: 2 dozen.

Nutritional Facts 1 serving (1 each) equals 199 calories, 11 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 53 mg cholesterol, 147 mg sodium, 25 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.

Campfire cones

This is a great camping recipe but as long as you have a grill at home or an oven I think you could recreate this at home

you will need:

Chopped Fruit.  strawberries and bananas – I bet any berries, even tart apples, would be perfect!
Mini-Marshmallows.
Chocolate Chips. We used semi-dark, chocolate chips – love the extra antioxidants.
Waffle Ice-Cream Cone. Unfortunately, not any icecream cone will work – we tried I’d love to experiment with waffle bowls next time.
Tin Foil. To wrap your cone once you have it stuffed to capacity

Strawberry or Orange soda cake

I am a late blooming pinterest addict especially when it comes to home decor and recipes. Here's another I found on Pinterest :) enjoy

You will need:

Strawberry or Orange cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
fresh strawberries (or Mandarin Oranges)
cool whip
Strawberry or Orange soda (every cake mix is different just sub the soda for water stated on cake mix box)

Mix cake mix, eggs, oil, and soda and pour into greased and floured cake pan. Bake at 350 for 17 minutes or until tooth pick comes out cleanly.

slice strawberries thinly for middle of cake

Cool cake completely place thin strawberries

frost cake with cool whip and top with remaining sliced strawberries

Brownie mix

These are a new hit at our house. Never buying a box again. So simple, so easy!!! Brownie Mix $0.30 /mix. 1 Cup Sugar, 1/2 Cup Flour, 1/3 Cup Cocoa, 1/4 tsp Salt, 1/4 tsp Baking Powder. Add: 2 Eggs, 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil, 1 teaspoon Vanilla. Bake @ 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

strawberry brownies

Very easy recipe, another pinterest recipe :)

You will need:

Strawberry Cake mix (any brand will do)

2 eggs
1/3 cup oil


 spread in 9x13 pan (dough will be thick) and bake at 350 for 14 minutes. For glaze, mix 1 c. Powdered sugar with 1 1/2 tablespoons milk or water. Pour over warm brownies. Enjoy!

Reese's Peanut butter cup truffle

This desert is huge and will feed about 20 people. It weighs six pounds so it's heavy.

There are many variations to this recipe but this is the one I use

You will need:

1 box brownies (family size) made according to box directions

whipped cream (I prefer either can or homemade not the kind in the tub)

Peanut butter sauce (melt one 10 ounce package of peanut butter chips with 1/4 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of heavy cream and 1/4 tsp of vanilla over low heat until combined, let cool)

Reese's peanut butter cups 4-5 packs (King Size) chopped

Reese's pieces King size bag

2 large boxes of chocolate pudding made according to box directions.


Break up chocolate cake and layer that on the bottom. Top with chocolate pudding, peanut butter sauce, reeses peanut butter cups & reeses pieces, and a layer of whipped cream. Continue building your trifle with these layers until you've run out of ingredients or room :)

Lemon Lush

This was my grandpa's favorite desert. Hard to believe that in September he'll be gone for 15 years. I was blessed to have him for 16  years. We were very close (lived next door and spent all my time with him). My grandma would make this for him for his birthday instead of a cake. It's really refreshing! I now make this for Dan as he also likes lemon (and it's kinda scary how alike he and my grandpa are!) I love it as well. If you like lemon my sparkling lemon cookies are also a big hit!


This recipe makes 12 servings (we usually double it for a get together or party)

you will need:
     2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup butter, softened

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

1 cup white sugar

2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant lemon pudding mix

3 1/2 cups milk

1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, combine the flour and butter using a pastry cutter until a ball forms. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
3. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth and well blended. Spread evenly over the cooled crust. In another bowl, whisk together the lemon pudding mix and milk for 3 to 5 minutes. Spread over the cream cheese layer. Chill until set, then top with whipped topping.

Triple Chocolate Desert

I've changed this recipe and tried making cornbread in the crockpot and it makes it very moist. But this is the original and it's really yummy and moist. Great to make in the summer when you don't want the stove on.

You will need:

1 box Milk chocolate cake mix
1 8oz carton of sour cream
1 3 3/8 oz package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup oil
4 eggs
1 cup water


lightly grease crock pot, combine all ingredients in a bowl and pour into crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

Fruit Pizza

There are many variations to this recipe. I usually use whatever is available or what I've got a huge taste for. I love the strawberry banana. I grew up loving this after having it at several of my mom's friend's Christmas parties (they were legendary over 100 people would come and go on Christmas eve!)

You will need:

1 roll of sugar cookie dough (it's so much quicker and easier if you purchase but you can also make your own)
1 cup sugar
2 8oz packages of cream cheese, softened
1 16oz bag frozen strawberries
1 16oz bag frozen mango
2-3 bananas, sliced a little splash of lemon juice will prevent them from browning
2 kiwi, sliced

1 Spread cookie dough on pizza pan and bake (every oven is different bake at 350 and watch after 10 minutes. take out when cookie is a golden brown.

2. Allow cookie to cool. I put mine in the refrigerator to speed this up.

3. While cookie is cooling put cream cheese and sugar in a bowl and mix until it's smooth and well Incorporated. Then spread on cookie.

4. If you have little helpers this is where you can have them help decorate the pizza.

5. Chill in the refrigerator until time to serve, refrigerate leftovers if there is any :)

Peach Mango Cobbler

I am a Mango Fanatic. There I said it. Most people who know me know how much I love Mangoes. I've long ago heard that Mangoes and Peaches are a part of the same family. And it's been some people's secret to add Mangoes to their peach cobbler. I tried and tried to find a recipe that is just right but came up empty. So I've had to concoct  my own. Perhaps you've seen one like this, there's a lot of peach cobbler recipes out there.


You will need:

1 16 oz package of frozen Mango, thawed
1 16 oz package of frozen peaches, thawed
2 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup water
8 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups self rising flour
1 1/2 cups milk
Vanilla bean ice cream 

Directions:
1. preheat oven to 350.

2. Mix mangoes and peaches in a large sauce  pan on the stove with 1 cup sugar and water. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Put the butter in baking dish and place in the oven to melt.

4.Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup.  Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.

Serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. 

Serendipity Frozen Hot chocolate

This is from the famous Serendipity restaurant in NYC. They also have one in Las Vegas! This treat isn't cheap they charge about $9 . And there aren't too many locations so if you can get to a Serendipity to purchase one try this recipe! You can buy the mix on their website as well as some other neat gifts.

you will need:
1/3 cup instant non fat dry milk
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Ghiradelli cocoa
1 tablespoon Hershey's cocoa
1 tablespoon of another brand I use land o lakes cocoa in white chocolate :) since they come in all kinds of flavors you can change things up a bit!
1 Cup milk
3 cups ice
1 can whipped cream
chocolate shavings from a Hershey chocolate bar


1. Mix dry milk, sugar and the cocoa mixes into a bowl.
2. Pour milk into your blender
3.  Add powder mix that you made in step 1.
4. Add ice and blend.


Put in a ice cream dish and add whipped cream. Garnish with chocolate shavings.

note to make chocolate shavings simply use a vegetable peeler and shave a little from the side of the bar.

Snickers Salad

Had this at a Christmas party several times and I love it! The nice lady who gave me the recipe says she always doubles this recipe because everyone loves it so much :)

8oz cream cheese, softened
7oz jar Marshmallow cream
1 small tub whipped cream, thawed
1 bag of miniature snickers, quartered
1 1/2 granny smith apples cubed

1. combine cream cheese and marshmallow cream.
2. Add whipped cream.
3. Stir in snickers and apples
4 keep refrigerated.

serves 6-8

Grape Salad

My friends rave about this salad (which is more like a desert)

You will need:

4oz sour cream
4oz cream cheese
2 cups grapes (red or green)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans


1. Mix sour cream, cream cheese and vanilla.
2 Blend  in grapes and put in 8x8 dish
3. mix brown sugar and pecans and cover.
4 chill for at least 1 hour

Mom's chocolate banana desert

Directions

2 cups whipping cream

2 tablespoons sugar, or a little more if you like it sweeter

4 bananas, sliced

Chocolate syrup

15 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (recommended: Oreo), crushed

1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Whip the cream with the sugar until peaks form.

Fill a large glass bowl or small parfait glasses with half the banana slices and half the whipped cream. Drizzle chocolate syrup over the cream, then layer the remaining bananas, cookies, remaining whipped cream, a little more chocolate syrup, and then toasted nuts. Serve.

Chocolate Banana Ravioli

Ingredients

* 1 medium banana, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces to yield about 3/4 cup
* 1/4 packed cup light brown sugar
* 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
* 16 won ton wrappers
* 1 egg, beaten
* 1/3 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella) or creamy peanut butter
* Vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the banana, sugar and walnuts. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the edges of each won ton wrapper. Put about a teaspoon of the chocolate-hazelnut spread in the center of each wrapper and top with 1 to 2 teaspoons of the banana mixture. Fold 1 corner of each won ton wrapper diagonally over the filling to form a triangle. Press the edges together to seal and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Fill a large heavy-bottomed saucepan with about 3/4-inch oil. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375 degrees F. (If you dont have a thermometer, a cube of bread will brown in about 2 minutes.) Fry the ravioli, 2 or 3 at a time, turning occasionally, until golden, about 60 to 70 seconds. Drain on paper towels. Cool for 2 minutes and serve warm.

LEMON LUSH

In honor of father's day I thought I'd share my husband's favorite recipe (he loves Lemon)

Crust:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups ground walnuts
1 1/2 sticks of butter


Filling:

8 oz cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup of Cool Whip


Topping:

2 small packages instant lemon pudding
3 cups cold milk

Crust:

Using a pastry cutter, combine ingredients for crust and pat into the bottom of 9x13 pan.
Bake at 325°F for 30 minutes. Let cool.



Filling:

Mix well and spread over cool baked crust. Refrigerate.

Topping:

Mix packages of lemon pudding with 3 cups of cold milk. Once mixture has thickened, pour over filling.
Top off with more Cool Whip and nuts, if desired.

Frozen Chocolate Cookie Cake

Ingredients
Ganache and Filling:
1/2 gallon any flavor ice cream, softened
1 cup heavy cream
1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate morsels
Cake:
Butter, for pans
Flour, for pans
1 (18.25-ounce) box devil's food cake mix (or any flavor you like)
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
Directions
Line 1 (9-inch) cake pan with plastic wrap, with 3 inches overhanging. Spread softened ice cream into lined pan in a smooth, even layer. Freeze for 3 hours, or until frozen solid.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour 2 (10-inch) round cake pans and set aside. In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs in a large mixing bowl on medium speed for 2 minutes, or until well blended. Using a spatula, divide batter between the 2 prepared cake pans. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each pan to loosen cakes and remove from pans.

While cakes are cooling, heat heavy cream in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat until bubbling around the edges. Remove pan from heat, add chocolate morsels, and stir with a whisk until smooth. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes, until cool and slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Spread ganache on top of and around sides of both cake layers, keeping layers separate and not fitting together yet. Refrigerate entire cake for 1 hour, or until ganache is set.

Place 1 cake layer, ganache side up, on a serving platter. Remove ice cream from pan, peel off plastic wrap, and place on top of cake layer. Place second cake layer on top of ice cream, ganache side up. Freeze until ready to serve, but let stand at room temperature 5 minutes before seving.

Sparkling lemon snowflakes

Lowfat and refreshing! I made these this morning and they were pretty simple. The glaze may need a little more liquid added I've found I'll let you decide.

you will need

3/4 cup butter
3/4 granulated sugar
2 teaspoons grated fresh lemon zest (approx. 1 large lemon)
1 egg
2 1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice (I added a little more)
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup coarse white sparking sugar


1. In large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. add lemon zest and egg; beat until well blended. on low speed gradually beat in flour and salt until well blended.

2. Heat oven to 350f. On floured surface roll dough to 1/8 thick. Cut with snowflake cookie cutters (or star cookie cutters) Place on ungreased cookie sheets 2 inches apart.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies just begin to brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks cool completely about 10 mintues.

4. In small bowl mix powdered sugar, lemon juice and water. Spread glaze on cookies, sprinkle tops with coarse sugar and allow to dry. Store in airtight container.


makes 6 dozen cookies

Christmas Popcorn cake

This week is Christmas in July around our house so I thought I'd share a christmas recipe

You will need:
8 cups popped popcorn
10 oz. assorted gum drops
2 cups salted peanuts
1/2 cup butter or margarine (1 stick)
1/2 cup canola oil
1lb marshmellows

1. In a large bowl combine popcorn, gum drops and 2 cups salted peanuts.

2. In a medium saucepan, melt together 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup canola oil and marshmellows. Stir together until blended.

3. Pour over popcorn mixture and carefully stir until evenly coated.

4. Lightly pack into a buttered angel food or bundt cake pan.

5.Let cool completely, about six hours. Remove from pan and sprinkle with colored sugar. To Serve slice thinly.