Cherry Cheesecake Dip

Cherry Cheesecake Dip

By Holly Nilsson

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 21 ounces cherry pie filling
• graham crackers for dipping

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, combine combine softened cream cheese and powdered sugar with a hand mixer on medium speed. Add vanilla and yogurt and continue mixing fluffy.
• Spread the mixture in a plate or shallow bowl. Gently spoon the cherry pie filling overtop.
• Refrigerate at least 15 minutes or overnight. Serve with graham crackers for dipping.

Notes 

• Dip can be made up to 24 hours in advance.
• Block cream cheese provides the best texture.
• Any fruit filling can top this recipe.

Source: www.spendwithpennies.com/cherry-cheesecake-dip/

Kool-Aid Sherbet

Kool-Aid Sherbet

1 cup sugar
1 (.13 ounce) envelope unsweetened orange soft drink mix or flavor of your choice
3 cups milk

In a bowl, stir sugar, soft drink mix and milk until sugar is dissolved.

 
Pour into a shallow freezer container; cover and freeze for 1 hour or until slightly thickened.

 
Transfer to a mixing bowl, beat until smooth.

 
Return to freezer container; cover and freeze until firm.

 
Remove from the freezer 20 minutes before serving.

It's All About The Recipe: Lemon Buddies

INGREDIENTS

9 cups Rice Chex™ cereal
1 1/4 cups white vanilla baking chips
1/4 cup butter or margarine
4 teaspoons grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.

In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chips, butter, lemon peel and juice uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.

Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; gently shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool. Store in airtight container.

Source: www.chex.com/recipes/gluten-free-chex-lemon-buddies

S'Mores Cookie Bars

Ingredients

    - 2 cups salted butter softened
    - ½ cup granulated sugar
    - 3 cups all-purpose flour
    - 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
    - 1 cup chocolate chunks
    - 1 cup dehydrated marshmallow bits
    - ½ cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

    - Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. 

    - In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. 

    - Add in the flour and graham cracker crumbs 1 cup at a time, mixing slightly between each addition. 

    - Once it’s completely added, mix on high speed for an additional 2 minutes. 

    - Stir in the chocolate chunks, dehydrated marshmallows, and chocolate chips until completely incorporated. 

    - Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan and use your hands to evenly spread the dough out to cover the pan. 

    - Sprinkle additional chocolate or marshmallows on top and gently press in, if desired. 

    - Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before cutting so the bars can set up. 

    - Slice and serve once cooled or store in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe and Photo Credit: 

https://kitchenfunwithmy3sons.com/smores-cookies-bars/

Slow Cooker Pecan Pie

Slow Cooker Pecan Pie

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Servings: 8

Ingredients
1 pie crust
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup maple syrup (or honey or golden syrup)
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups pecans, toasted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
Place the pie crust in the bottom of a foil lined slow cooker, fill with the mixture of the remaining ingredients and cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours. The crust will be nice and golden brown!

Haystack Treats

Ingredients

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips
3 cups chow mein noodles
1/2 cup roughly chopped almonds
1/2 cup shelled pistachios
2 tablespoons assorted holiday sprinkles

Directions

Heat 2 inches of water in a pot to a simmer. Add the semisweet and milk chocolate to a bowl and place over the pot of simmering water. Allow to melt, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the noodles, almonds and pistachios to a large bowl and set aside.

When the chocolate has melted completely, pour over the noodle and nut mixture. Mix until everything is well coated in the melted chocolate.

Using 2 spoons, drop tablespoon mounds onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle the holiday sprinkles over the top. Allow to dry completely before storing, about 1 hour.

Recipe by Ree Drummond at FoodNetwork: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/holiday-haystacks-5510503

Easy Potato Candy

Easy Potato Candy

2 (1 lb.) boxes powdered sugar
1/2 c. hot mashed potatoes, drained
1 sm. jar crunchy peanut butter

Mix sifted sugar into potatoes a little at a time by hand. (Don't panic when potatoes liquify as the first sugar is added. This is what it's supposed to do. Just keep adding sugar until it is pastry consistency.) Sprinkle wax paper with additional powdered sugar. Take baseball-sized ball of mixture and roll out like pastry. Spread with peanut butter and roll like a jelly roll. Wrap rolls in plastic wrap.

Muddy Buddies (aka Puppy Chow for Humans)

Photo (c) https://www.chex.com/recipes/chex-muddy-buddies/

Ingredients:

9 cups Rice Chex™, Corn Chex™ or Chocolate Chex™ cereal (or combination)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.

In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.

Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Source: www.chex.com/recipes/chex-muddy-buddies/

Camera Critters: Me Oh My! Shelby Wants Pie

The most adorable dog ever!

The most adorable dog ever would like some lemon meringue pie please.

I love my Shelby to the moon and back!

Photos (c)2017 Shannon G. Wamsley

This post is linked to Camera Critters.

Happy National Ice Cream Day and World Emoji Day!

Happy National Ice Cream Day! 🍧 🍨 🍦

and Happy World Emoji Day! 🙋😍🌷🐝🍡💙😜

Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
2 lemons, juiced and zested
2 tablespoons butter
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
4 egg whites
6 tablespoons white sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.

To Make Meringue: In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add sugar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.

SOURCE: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/15093/grandmas-lemon-meringue-pie

Thick Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

Ingredients
6 egg yolks
4 eggs
2 cups butter, softened
2 1/8 cups white sugar
7 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon hot water or as needed

Directions
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Cover dough and chill for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. On a floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/2 inch thick and cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Place 2 inches apart on to the prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. To make frosting, mix together the confectioners' sugar, oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. gradually add enough hot water to achieve a spreadable consistency.

SOURCE: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/24462/thick-cut-outs/

Easy Oreo Truffles

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1 (8 ounce) package Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
2 (8 ounce) packages Bake's Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted

Directions
Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.

Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/127491/easy-oreo-truffles

Wordless Wednesday: Fruit Pizza

This post is linked up to Wordless Wednesday.

All photos (c) Shannon G. Wamsley

Taken on 10 August 2015

Berry Frozen Dessert

Ingredients for Berry Frozen Dessert

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup fresh strawberries, divided
1 cup fresh raspberries, divided
2 tubs (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese Spread
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1-1/2 pkg. (4 oz. each) BAKER'S White Chocolate (6 oz.), melted
1 tsp. orange zest
1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped
Topping
1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions

Mix graham crumbs and butter until blended.

Mash 1/2 cup each strawberries and raspberries in medium bowl. Beat cream cheese spread in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in milk. Blend in melted chocolate, mashed berries and zest. Whisk in
COOL WHIP.

Spoon half the cream cheese mixture into plastic wraplined 9x5-inch loaf pan; top with half of the crumb mixture. Repeat layers. Freeze 6 hours or until firm. Remove dessert from freezer 15 min. before serving.

Finely chop remaining strawberries; combine with remaining raspberries and blueberries. Invert dessert onto platter; remove plastic wrap. Spoon berry mixture over dessert.

SOURCE: www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/berry-frozen-dessert-149293.aspx

Baked S'more = Unhappy Dog

Today for an after dinner dessert I made baked s'mores. 

 (Recipe at the bottom of this post). 

 The s'mores were delicious!

Shelby was not allowed to have any s'mores. 

 This is a photo of the look she gave me when I told her no.

Shelby also did not like the explanation I gave to as to why

she could not have any (chocolate is very bad for dogs).

**SHANNON'S BAKED S'MORES**

1 cup of  Milk Chocolate Chips

12 large Marshmallows

Graham Crackers

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Layer graham crackers in bottom of 9 inch, aluminum pie pan.

Add chocolate chips.

Top with marshmallows

Bake for 5 to 8 minutes (depends on how brown you want your

marshmallows and how melted you want the chocolate.  I baked

mine for 6 minutes.

Serve and eat while hot.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Sundaes

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Sundaes

Quickly warm pineapple in butter and brown sugar, then spoon the softened fruit over crumbled pound cake and dulce de leche ice cream.

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped pineapple or canned pineapple tidbits (juice pack), drained
1 pint dulce de leche or vanilla ice cream
1/4 of a 10 3/4-ounce loaf frozen pound cake, thawed and coarsely crumbled and, if desired, toasted*
Whipped cream
4 maraschino cherries with stems

Directions
In a small heavy skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, honey and cinnamon. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Add pineapple. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through. Remove from heat.
Scoop ice cream into four dishes. Top with crumbled cake, warm pineapple mixture, whipped cream and a cherry. Serve immediately.
Tip

* To toast pound cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees . Spread crumbled pound cake pieces on a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until lightly toasted.

SOURCE: www.midwestliving.com/recipe/pineapple-upside-down-cake-sundaes/

Dirt Cake

Dirt Cake Ingredients:

1 lb. package of Oreo cookies
1 8-oz. package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
3 cups milk
1 12-oz. tub of Cool Whip
2 3 1/2-oz. packages of instant chocolate or vanilla pudding
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Gummy worms
Plastic flowers

Directions:
In a blender, crush Oreos into a powder. Place 1/3 of the crushed Oreos into a new, clean flower pot or small plastic beach bucket (if your pot has a hole in the bottom, you will need to plug it up first). Set aside. Combine butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix, and fold the Cool Whip into the pudding. Fold the pudding mixture into butter and cream cheese mixture. Layer 1/2 of the mixture over the crushed cookies in the pot. Cover the pudding mixture with 1/3 of the crushed cookies, then add the rest of the pudding mixture. Push a few gummy worms partway into the pudding mixture and top with the remaining cookie crumbs.

Chill in refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours. Before serving, “plant” a few plastic flowers and/or fresh mint sprigs in the soil. You may want to serve it with a new, clean garden trowel or plastic shovel.

Source: http://farmersalmanac.com/food/recipes/2010/09/24/dirt-cake/

Caramel Apple Crisp Bars

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats
1-1/4 cups flour, divided
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 pkg. (11 oz.) KRAFT Caramels
2 Tbsp. milk
2 large apples, chopped (about 2 cups)

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 350ºF.
Line 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides; spray with cooking spray. Mix oats, 1 cup flour, baking soda and spices until blended.
Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in flour mixture until blended. Reserve 1 cup oat mixture; press remaining onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 min.
Meanwhile, microwave caramels and milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until caramels are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring every 30 sec. Stir in remaining flour.
Sprinkle apples over crust; drizzle with caramel sauce. Crumble remaining oat mixture over caramel sauce.
Bake 20 to 25 min. or until golden brown. Cool completely. Use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting into bars.

SOURCE: www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/dessert/apple-crisp.aspx

Christmas Crack (Chocolate Saltine Toffee) Recipe

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
35 to 40 saltine crackers
2 sticks (1 cup) butter
1 cup light brown sugar
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 1 1/3 cups)

Directions: 
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Line 1 large or 2 small jelly-roll pans with aluminum foil, spray with nonstick spray and arrange the saltines salt-side down in a single layer. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together and boil until it turns a caramel color, a few minutes. Remove from the heat and pour over the crackers, covering them evenly.

Put the jelly-roll pan into the oven and bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or until just bubbly, watching carefully. Remove from the oven and pour the chocolate chips over the crackers. When the chips melt a bit, spread them over the crackers with a knife.

Transfer the pan to the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until completely cold. They will form one big sheet. Break up into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe adapted from Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood (c) Clarkson Potter 2010