Raspberry Bars

Recipe and Photo from Jamie Cooks It Up!
1 C brown sugar
2 C flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
2 C rolled oats
1 C butter, softened
1 1/2 C raspberry jam.

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Into a medium-sized mixing bowl place 1 cup brown sugar, 2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 2 cups rolled oats.
3. Add 1 cup soft butter. Grab yourself a pastry blender and mix the butter into the dry ingredients. (I used a fork.)
4. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and pour 4 cups of the oat mixture into the pan.
5. Grab some  jam. Pour 1 1/2 cups of the jam into a microwave safe bowl and heat it up for about 30 seconds. Warming up the jam will make it much easier to spread.
6. Pour the jam onto the oats mixture and spread it out with a knife. Be sure to leave about a half-inch around the perimeter of the pan free from jam.
7. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the top of the of the jam.
8. Press it gently into the pan with a wooden spoon.
9. Bake for 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Allow the pan to cool completely and then cut into bars.

Rate It!
Jen: 7.5
Kile: 6
Kiley: 7
Madee: 7
Destrie: 9

Cinnamon Rolls

Recipe and Photo from:  House of Smiths

Blackberry Crisp

Destrie was a  "Junior Chef" today and this is what he made!

Ingredients

• 5 cups blackberries (or any other berry combination you may have.)
• 5 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch (for thickening if using frozen berries)
• 1 C flour
• 1 C oats
• 3/4 C packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 C butter

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• In a bowl combine berries and sugar. Mix and set aside
• If using frozen berries add in 2 Tbsp of cornstarch for thickening.
• In another bowl mix together flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Add in butter using a pastry mixer until crumbly.
• Put berries into a 9 x 13 pan and add crumble on top.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the fruit is bubbly and the topping will be golden brown 
• Serve while warm and top with vanilla ice cream.  YUM!

Recipe idea  from  YourHomeBasedMom

Rate It!

Jen: 8.5

Kile:

Kiley: 7

Madee:

Destrie: 10

Chocolate Eclair Cake

Recipe and Photo from: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
4 large eggs
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 large box (5.1 ounces) vanilla instant pudding
3 cups milk
1 8 oz. container cool whip

chocolate syrup

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease a 9″X13″ glass baking pan.
Eclair Crust: In a medium saucepan, melt butter in water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in flour. Mix in one egg at a time, mixing completely before adding another egg. Spread mixture into pan, covering the bottom and sides evenly.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown (Mine only took 25 minutes.) You may want to check it occasionally-you don’t want to overcook the crust, it will ruin the cake! Remove from oven and let cool (don’t touch or push bubbles down).

Filling: Whip cream cheese in a medium bowl. In separate bowl make vanilla pudding. Make sure pudding is thick before mixing in with cream cheese. Slowly add pudding to cream cheese, mixing until there are no lumps. Let cool in fridge.When the crust is completely cooled, pour filling in. Top with layer of cool whip however thick you want it and serve with chocolate syrup.

Rate It!
Jen: 8.5
Kile: 6.5
Kiley: 7.5
Madee: 7
Destrie: 8

Blueberry Crumble

This is really called a Blueberry Dump Cake, but I am not a fan of that name!

Ingredients:
1 can blueberry pie filling
1 16 oz can crushed pineapple (not drained!!!)
1 yellow cake mix
1 cube butter
1 small package pecan gems

Directions:
Grease a 9x13 glass baking dish.
Dump blueberries and pineapple in dish.
Sprinkle cake mix on top.
Cut butter in to chunks and place on top of cake mix.
Sprinkle pecans on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes
*Serve with vanilla ice cream

Rate It!
Jen: 8.5
Kile:
Kiley: 9
Madee:
Destrie: 9

Paula Deen's Banana Pudding

 

 Ingredients

• 1 box Nilla wafer cookies
• 6 to 8 bananas, sliced
• 2 cups milk
• 1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanila pudding
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed 

Directions

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with  cookies and layer bananas on top.

In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Rate It!
Jen: 8
Kile: 8.5
Kiley:
Madee: 8
Destrie: didn't have any

*Photo and idea from: Pearls, Handcuffs, and Happy Hour

Lemon Crumb Squares

Recipe and photo from What's Cookin?

1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1½ sticks of butter, slightly softened
1 cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
1 cup oats
1 can (14 ounce) sweetened condensed milk
½ cups lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix butter and brown sugar until well combined.
Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.
Add oats and flour to butter/sugar mixture and mix to combine.
Press half of oat crumb mixture into the bottom of an 8 x 11 inch pan. You can use a 9 x 13 pan; it will just be thinner.
Mix together condensed milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Spread onto the bottom layer of the crumb mixture. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture on top of lemon layer but don’t press. You want the top to be a thick crumbly texture, It should resemble the top of an "apple crisp".
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Allow pan to sit on counter for 30 minutes after baking. Cut into squares and refrigerate for a couple of hours or until cool.
Serve cool.

Rate It!
Jen: 7
Kile: 5
Kiley: 7.5
Madee: 7
Destrie: good

* I think these were a little too "lemony" for our taste...next time I would make with a little less lemon juice.

* Funny thing... these were better the 2nd day! Not sure why but everyone here agreed!

Donuts

Recipe and Photo from Cooking With Carrie

For the donuts
1 refrigerated tube of 10 biscuits (the smaller tubes, not Grands.
Use a small circular cutter (the cap of a 2-liter works well) to cut circles in each biscuit.

For the glaze
1/4 stick butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk
Melt the butter in the microwave and add the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. Stir until combined.

Directions
Start heating the oil. I set my deep fat fryer at 350 degrees.

Place a few donuts in the oil and cook until browned (1-2 minutes). Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes until browned.
Pull the donuts out of the oil and set them on a cooling rack (or paper towels) to drain the excess oil. While the donuts are warm, dip them in the glaze or a cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Rate It!
Jen: 8
Kile: 7
Kiley: 7
Madee: 7
Destrie: good

Lemon Berry Pie

  Recipe and Photo from Kraft Recipes

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 Tbsp.  milk

1 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp.  grated lemon zest

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tub  (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

1 HONEY MAID Graham Pie Crust (I use the 2 extra servings crust.)

1 pt.  (2 cups) strawberries, hulled, halved

2 cups cold milk

2 pkg.  (4-serving size each) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

Make It

BEAT cream cheese, 1 Tbsp. milk and the sugar in medium bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Stir in lemon zest and juice. Gently stir in 1-1/2 cups of the whipped topping. Spread evenly onto bottom of crust. Reserve several strawberry halves for garnish. Arrange remaining strawberry halves on cream cheese layer; press gently into cream cheese mixture.
POUR 2 cups milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. Let stand 5 min. or until thickened. Gently stir in 1 cup of the remaining whipped topping. Spoon over strawberries in crust.
REFRIGERATE 4 hours or until set. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup whipped topping and the reserved strawberry halves just before serving. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.
Rate It!
Jen: 9
Kile: 9.5
Kiley:
Madee: 7.5
Destrie: good 

Lemon Glazed Biscuits

Recipe from studio5.ksl.com

Ingredients:

• 2 cans large biscuit dough
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 
zest from one lemon


• Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 
4-5 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Method:

Spray 9X13" pan with non-stick cooking spray. Cut each biscuit into fourths. Place in pan in a single layer but touching. Combine sugar and lemon peel. Sprinkle over all and bake at 350°F 25-30 minutes.
***Mine actually took a little longer than this -check to make sure the biscuits in the center are cooked and not doughy!

Combine glaze ingredients and frost biscuits while warm and serve.

Rate It!
Jen: 8
Kile: 8.5
Kiley: 8
Madee: 7.5
Destrie: good

Fresh Peach Dessert

*Recipe from our friend Mary

**Take cream cheese out of fridge 1st thing & let it soften to room temp.**

Peach Layer

2 cups water
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1 cup sugar
Boil until thick (about 15-20 minutes on med. to med.-high); stir (w/whisk) often. Add 3 oz. package peach jello; dissolve into thickened, boiled mix. Refrigerate until "set" (cooled and thickened some...not "set" like finished jello)...can put in freezer to speed up this process.

Add: 4cups thinly sliced peaches to the thickened jello mixture.


Graham Crust

Combine 2 1/2 cups (1 plastic pack = 1 1/4 c. crumbs) finely crushed graham crackers, 6 Tbsp. powdered sugar, 1 cube melted margarine.


Creamy Layer

Cream together 8 oz. softened cream cheese & 1/2 cup powdered sugar (in a bowl by hand with a spoon or fork is fine). Make up 2 envelopes of Dream Whip (as directed on packaging). Fold cream cheese mix & dream whip together.

Layer in 9x13 pan: 1/2 graham mixture, then jello & peach mixture, cream mixture. Top with rest of graham crust. ENJOY!!

Rate It!
Jen: 9.5 - this is soooo good!!
Kile:9
Kiley: 8.5
Madee: 8
Destrie: good!

Kevin's Mom's Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients:
3/4 c. peanut butter
3/4 c. margarine
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. white sugar
2 eggs
3/4 tsp. soda
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. oatmeal
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 bag milk chocolate chips
1 c. powdered sugar
3/4 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. milk

Directions:
Cream first 4 ingredients
Add eggs, soda, flour, salt, oatmeal, and vanilla
Pour mixture into a greased cookie sheet
Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes-(they took 20 minutes in my oven)
Remove from oven, sprinkle chocolate chips on top, spread.
Chill in fridge until chocolate has set.
Mix powdered sugar peanut butter and milk together.
Spread on top of chocolate.
Return to fridge to chill until set.
Rate It!
Jen: 7
Kile: 6.5
Kiley: 7
Madee: 8
Destrie: good

Berry Cheesecake Parfaits

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups cold milk
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1-1/2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided
24 VANILLA Wafers, coarsely chopped
1-1/2 cups mixed blueberries and sliced fresh strawberries

Directions:
BEAT cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in milk. Add dry pudding mix; mix well. Whisk in 1 cup COOL WHIP.

LAYER half each of wafers, berries and pudding mixture in 8 parfait glasses. Repeat layers.

TOP with remaining COOL WHIP.

Rate It!
Jen: 9
Kile: 8.5
Kiley: 8
Madee: 9
Destrie: good

Gooey Marshmallow brownies

Prep Time: 10 mins Cooking Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:
1 box Ghirardelli brownie mix
+ ingredients to make brownies

2 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Make brownies according to package instructions. Remove from oven and sprinkle top first with marshmallows and then chocolate chips. Return to oven for 2 to 5 minutes or until marshmallows just start to melt and brown. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Rate it!
Jen: 7 - These are really sweet.
Kile: 7
Kiley: 7
Madee: 7.5
Destrie: good

Frozen Banana Split Squares

This recipe and photo came from Our Best Bites Blog.
Recipe adapted from Paula Deen

12 3.5 oz. ice cream sandwiches
3-4 medium bananas
1/2-1 c. hot fudge sauce
1/2-1 c. caramel sauce
1 c. chopped maraschino cherries or sliced strawberries (more or less depending on personal taste)
8 oz. frozen whipped topping (like Cool Whip), thawed
1 small can crushed pineapple, undrained
2 Butterfinger bars, crushed (or 1/2 c. chocolate-covered toffee bits, nuts, etc.)

Line the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish with the ice cream sandwiches, cutting them to fit as necessary. Slice the bananas into pieces about 1/4" thick and arrange over the sandwiches. Spread the hot fudge and caramel sauces over the bananas. Sprinkle with cherries or strawberries (or both, if desired). Combine the thawed frozen whipped topping with the can of undrained pineapple and spread over everything. Sprinkle with crushed candy bars and freeze for at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, cut into 12 pieces and serve immediately, freezing any leftovers.

Rate It!
Jen: 8
Kile: 7
Kiley:6.5
Madee: 8
Destrie:didn't have any

Sour Cream Cheesecake

My sister made this cheesecake for me for my birthday. It is soooo good.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar-divided
2 eggs
16 oz cream cheese
1 dash salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla-divided
1 cup sour cream

Directions:
For Crust- Make graham cracker crumbs using a food processor of blender. Stir in melted butter and 1/4 cup sugar. Place in bottom of a 9 inch pie pan. Press in place with a fork. Refrigerate.

For Filling-Beat eggs. Combine cream cheese , 2/3 cup sugar, salt, eggs,and 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Beat at medium speed for 5 minutes. Pour over graham cracker crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool 30 minutes.

For Topping- Mix sour cream, 3 Tbsp.sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla. Spread on top of of cooled cheesecake. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool to room temperature and then place in refrigerator. Chill before serving.

Rate It!
Jen: 9.5
Kile: not home
Kiley:
Madee: doesn't like cheesecake
Destrie: Good

Butterscotch Bubbleloaf

Ingredients

24 Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold
1/2 box butterscotch or vanilla pudding mix, non-instant
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
Instructions

Cut dinner rolls in half and dip in dry pudding mix. Arrange rolls in sprayed bundt pan, alternately with pecans. Sprinkle any remaining pudding mix over the top. Combine brown sugar and butter. Heat together until butter is melted and a syrup is formed (microwave about 1 1/2 minutes). Pour syrup over rolls. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap. Let rise until double in size or even with top of bundt pan. Carefully remove wrap. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes. Cover with foil the last 15 minutes of baking. Immediately after baking, loosen from sides of the pan with a knife and invert onto a serving plate.

Rate It!
Jen: 7
Kile: 6-does not like pecans. Add more glaze and skip the nuts was his suggestion.
Kiley: 7
Madee: 5.5
Destrie: Good

Berry Cream Cups

This delightful little treat was being sampled at my local grocery store awhile ago back. All I can say about this is YUM. It is light and refreshing. Another plus is that everyone at our house likes it.

Ingredients:
Strawberries
Blueberries
Blackberries

Fat Free French Vanilla Coffee-Mate Creamer

Spoon fruit in to a small cup. Pour creamer over the top.

Rate It!
Jen: 8
Kile: 8.5
Kiley: 7
Madee:
Destrie: Good

Sopapilla Cheesecake Pie

This recipe and picture came from the Three on Food blog that is listed on the side.

2 (8oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp. mexican vanilla extract
2 (8oz.) pkgs. refrigerated crescent rolls
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup honey

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Beat the cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar and the vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth. Unroll one can of crescent roll dough, and press it into the bottom of your dish until there are no seams. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, then cover with the remaining piece of crescent dough, lightly pressing seems together. Stir together 3/4 cup of sugar and cinnamon, and set aside. Melt your butter in the microwave. Pour the butter over the top of the cheesecake. Sprinkle your cinnamon and sugar mixture over the butter layer. Bake in the preheated oven until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle with honey. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 squares.

Rate It!
Jen: 9
Kile: 7
Kiley: 7
Madee: 7
Destrie: Good

Cheesecake Squares

Recipe and Photo by: Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

1 package Pecan Sandies Cookies, divided
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter, melted
11 oz. cream cheese -
(1 8-oz. package + 3 oz. of another package, not low-fat), softened
2 eggs
2/3 c. sugar
pinch salt
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 c. Breakstones Sour Cream
1 1/4 c. strawberry sauce or strawberry jam, divided (recipe below; you can also use jarred strawberry topping or canned strawberry pie filling)***I used some homemade raspberry freezer jam that I had.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375.

Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a food processor, process 3/4 of the Pecan Sandies (reserve 6). Mix with melted butter and lightly press onto the bottom of the pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine cream cheese eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla, almond extract, and sour cream. Beat on high for 4-5 minutes. Pour 3/4 c. of the strawberry sauce over the batter, spreading gently to cover the surface (it doesn't have to be perfect). Spread remaining cheesecake batter over the strawberry layer and then spoon remaining 1/2 c. of strawberry sauce over the batter. Being careful not to cut into the surface of the cookie crust, swirl the strawberry mixture with a butter knife.

Bake at 375 for 25-35 minutes or until center is jiggly but not liquid. While baking, process remaining 6 cookies. During the last 10 minutes of baking, sprinkle the cookies on top of the cheesecake. Chill for at least 8 hours and cut into squares. If desired, drizzle remaining strawberry sauce over the individual squares.

Rate It!
Jen: 7
Kile: 7
Kiley: 6
Madee: 6
Destrie: GOOD!