FoodFoodFood -- Easy Dessert that's Always in Season: GRAPES

A cool and refreshing dessert, snack or whenever is a grape salad that is easy and always in season.

• 2 lbs green seedless grapes, washed, removed from stems, halved
• 2 lbs red seedless grapes washed, removed from stems, halved
• 1 c. sour cream
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, to taste

topping

• 1 cup brown sugar, packed, to taste
• 1 cup crushed pecans, to taste

In a large mixing bowl combine sour cream, cream cheese, granulated sugar and vanilla until Smooth. Fold Grapes into the mixture, stirring gently.

In a small bowl combing brown sugar and crushed pecans, sprinkle over the top. Chill overnight before serving.

FoodFoodFood Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip from Olive Garden

I love Olive Gardens Hot Artichoke Spinach dip recipe brings all the fabulous flavors of the restaurant to the comfort of your own home. A hearty blend of artichoke hearts, spinach, cream cheese, Parmesean cheese and seasonings all together in a cheesy, full flavor dish you'll love time and again!

Ingredients:


1 Cup chopped artichoke hearts (canned- well drained or frozen & thawed & well drained) 
1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
8 oz. cream cheese, room

temperature
1/4 c. Regular Mayonnaise (Not Miracle whip!)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
1/4 c. grated Romano cheese
1 tsp Minced Garlic
1/4 c. Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 
1/2 tsp dried basil
dash black pepper 

In a large mixing bowl combine the cream cheese and mayonnaise, creaming them together until smooth. Add the Parmesan, Romano, garlic, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, garlic powder, salt mixing well. Add the (well drained!) artichoke hearts and spinach, folding into the seasoned cream cheese mixture. 

Spray 4 ramekins with nonstick spray or olive oil, fill with the dip and top generously with mozzarella. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.


Serve hot with crackers, chips, or toasted pitas for dipping.

Easy Bisquits/Biscuits

Some people have a hard time making homemade biscuits and some just never tried because it's easier to but them already made for them. I found an easy, never fail recipe that would help even the worst cooks.

Ingredients:
Preheat oven to 425
2 1/2 cups of flour...before sifting
1 stick frozen butter (margarine can be used but in stick form and frozen) grated
1 1/14 cup of buttermilk (milk can also be used)

Mix everything together to combine, the dough should look clumpy and sticky. Sift some flour into any shallow pan or cookie sheet...drop dough by tablespoon onto the flour, rolling around to coat. Dust off excess flour by gently tossing biscuit from hand to hand (this also helps form a kind of ball), then place on a greased cookie sheet or metal baking pan.

Bake on 425 for 25 minutes, take out of oven and brush with butter and replace in oven for another 5 minutes.

FoodFoodFood - Red Velvet (Cheese) Cake

Ingredients:

For the cheesecake:
1 1/4 pounds bar cream cheese (20 oz), room temperature
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream

For the cake:
2 1/2 c. cake flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 TBSP cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 c. buttermilk
2 TBSP (1 oz.) red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. white distilled vinegar

For the frosting:
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
12 oz. butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 c. confectioners' sugar

1 bar white or dark chocolate (Optional for decoration), I used Ghiradelli

Directions:

For cheesecake:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set a kettle of water to boil. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in lemon zest and juice, and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream.

Cut parchment paper in a circle and line the bottom of the cheesecake pan. Wrap bottom half of pan in foil. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of springform. Bake until just set in center, about 45 minutes. Remove pan from water; let cool 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edge; let cool completely. Cover; chill overnight, then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350°. Sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa, and salt into a medium bowl.

Beat eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Divide batter evenly between 2 greased and floured 9" round cake pans and bake 25-30 minutes, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool 5 minutes, then invert each onto a plate, then invert again onto a cooling rack. Let cakes cool completely, then level.

Frosting:
Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Add sugar and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, 5–7 minutes.

Assembly:
Place bottom layer on cake stand. Remove cheesecake from freezer, unwrap, and remove from metal bottom, then peel off parchment paper. Place cheesecake layer on top of the bottom layer of the red velvet cake. If the cheesecake is wider than the cake, and it is necessary to to trim it, wait approximately 10 minutes for the cheesecake to soften, then trim it with a knife. Place top layer of cake on top of the cheesecake, and coat with a generous layer of the cream cheese frosting to act as the crumb coat. Be careful not to get any red velvet crumbs in the bowl of frosting! Refrigerate approximately 30 minutes, then frost with as much of the remaining frosting as necessary. Top with shaved white chocolate and/or shaved dark chocolate. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (This cake doesn't have to stay in the fridge until IMMEDIATELY before serving, so don't worry if you have a 30 minute lapse between the refrigerator and serving.)

FoodFoodFood - Easy, Easy Peanutbutter Cup Pie

Chilling Time: 4 hr

Cooking Time: 10 min

What You'll Need:

•1 2/3 cups (10 ounces) peanut butter chips
•1/2 cup milk
•1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, divided
•2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
•1 tablespoon vanilla extract
•16 miniature peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped
•1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
•1 (9-inch) prepared chocolate pie crust

What To Do:

1.In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine peanut butter chips, milk, and 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk. Cook until mixture is thick and smooth, stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from heat and allow mixture to cool to room temperature.

2.In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in remaining sweetened condensed milk and the vanilla. With a spoon, stir in chopped peanut butter cups.

3.Add whipped topping to peanut butter and milk mixture and blend completely with a spoon.

4.Pour peanut butter mixture and cream cheese mixture alternately into pie crust, ending with cream cheese mixture. Swirl with a knife to get a marble effect. Cover and freeze until firm. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes before serving.

FoodFoodFood - Easy Cheddar Garlic Biscuits

Makes: 12

Cooking Time: 10 min

What You'll Need:

•2 cups pancake and baking mix
•3/4 cup milk
•3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
•1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
•1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, melted

What To Do:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. In a medium bowl, stir baking mix, milk, and cheese until a soft dough forms. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.

3. Mix garlic powder and butter; brush half the mixture over biscuits.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush remaining garlic mixture over warm biscuits and serve.

FoodFoodFood - TexMex Casserole

From the biggest Ranch in Texas...King Ranch...

Serves: 6

Cooking Time: 45 min

What You'll Need:

•1 tablespoon vegetable oil
•1 large green bell pepper, diced
•1 cup chopped onion
•2 garlic cloves, minced
•1 (10-3/4-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
•1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
•1 to 2 tablespoons chili powder
•12 corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch strips
•4 cups diced cooked chicken
•2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

What To Do:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2.In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Saute bell pepper, onion, and garlic 4 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir in soup, diced tomatoes, and chili powder. Cook just until warmed.

3.Line bottom of prepared baking dish with half the tortilla strips. Sprinkle half the chicken over tortilla strips, top with half the vegetables, and half the cheese. Repeat layers.

4.Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until bubbly and hot

FoodFoodFood - To-Die-For Lemon Meringue Cake

What You'll Need:

•1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
•1 (18.25-ounce) package lemon cake mix, batter prepared according to package directions
•4 egg whites
•1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
•1/2 cup sugar

Instructions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2.Stir lemon peel into cake batter then pour batter into prepared baking dish.

3.Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of comes comes out clean.

4.In a medium bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar until stiff peaks form. Spoon mixture over cake, spreading to completely cover cake. Form lots of peaks and valleys with a spatula to create a tempting-looking meringue.

5.Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until meringue is golden. Let cool, then slice and serve.

FoodFoodFood - Marinated Pork Chops - Asian Style

4 servings

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

4 (3/4-inch) pork loin chops (1-1/2 to 2 pounds total)

3 tablespoons butter

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients except pork chops and butter; mix well.

Place chops in a 9" x 13" baking dish and pour soy sauce mixture over the top, turning chops to coat thoroughly. Cover and chill for 2 hours, turning after 1 hour. Remove chops from marinade and discard marinade.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat and cook chops 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Serve immediately.

FoodFoodFood - Spaghetti Noodle Cassarole

Serves: 6

Cooking Time: 45 min

Ingredients:

•1 (1-pound) package spaghetti
•4 tablespoons butter
•1 onion, chopped
•1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
•1 (8-ounce) package fresh mushrooms, sliced
•1 1/2 pounds cooked chicken, cut into 1-inch chunks
•2 cups chicken broth
•2 (10-3/4-ounce) cans condensed cheese soup
•8 ounces bacon, cooked and crumbled

Instructions

1.Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain, return to pot, and set aside.

2.Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter; saute onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms 6 to 7 minutes, or until tender. Add vegetable mixture and remaining ingredients to spaghetti; mix well.

3.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9- x 13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.

4.Place mixture in prepared casserole dish, cover, and cook 25 to 30 minutes, or until heated through. 

FoodFoodFood - Tailgait Loaded Jalapeno Poppers

Makes 2 dozen.

•1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
•1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
•3 tablespoons bacon bits
•12 fresh jalapeno peppers, split in half lengthwise, cutting through stems, seeds removed
•1/3 cup all-purpose flour
•2 eggs, lightly beaten
•1/2 cup bread crumbs
•Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

1.In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, and bacon bits. Firmly press a heaping teaspoonful of cheese mixture into each pepper half. Cover and chill 1 hour.

2.Place flour, eggs, and bread crumbs in 3 separate shallow dishes. Dip stuffed pepper halves into flour, then eggs, then bread crumbs, coating thoroughly with each.

3.Fill a large saucepan or soup pot with 2 inches of oil and heat over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Carefully fry a few peppers at a time, 1 to 3 minutes, or until golden. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

FoodFoodFood -Chicken Burritos

• 2 cups cooked yellow rice
• 1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup corn
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 1 1/2 cups salsa
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 6 (10-inch) spinach flour tortillas (or your favorite flavor)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
    
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except tortillas; mix well. Spoon chicken mixture evenly onto center of each tortilla. Fold the bottom of tortilla over filling and pull back gently. Fold right side over followed by left side and roll up, forming an envelope. Place each burrito seam-side down on prepared baking sheet; cover with foil.
    
3. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until heated through.

We found microwaveable yellow rice to be really convenient, but any yellow rice will work just fine.
 

Try serving these with guacamole, salsa, and sour cream for a complete Mexican feast. Ole!
 

FoodFoodFood - Easy Apple Cobbler

1 Can of Apple Pie filling
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies
2 tablespoon of granulated sugar

Heat oven to 350°F
Spoon apple pie filling into ungreased 9 1/2-inch glass deep-dish pie plate or 8-inch square pan.
Spoon cookie dough, by scant teaspoons, evenly over apple pie filling. In small bowl, mix granulated sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over cookie dough.
Cook until golden brown

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whip topping.

FoodFoodFood - Keylime Pie

Ingredients

1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs

4 tablespoons butter

¼ cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 large egg whites

1/2 cup Key lime juice 

1 teaspoon grated lime rind 

1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk

3 egg whites

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°.

Melt butter. Combine sugar with graham crackers in a food processor and pulse to start breaking them down. Slowly add butter until well blended.

Press crumbs into a 9 inch pie pan.

Bake the crust for 15 minutes, just until it begins to brown. 

While the crust is baking, beat eggs and egg whites at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Gradually add juice, rind, and milk to egg mixture, beating until well-blended. Spoon mixture into crust, and bake at 350° for 15 minutes.

Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar, until foamy. Add vanilla. Add sugar a tablespoon at a time until the mixture is shiny and holds fairly stiff peaks. Be careful not to overbeat. 

Cover pie with meringue, making sure the meringue covers the entire filling and makes contact with the crust edges. To make lots of little peaks all over the pie, take a whisk and poke it lightly into the meringue and lift up. Bake at 350°F 12 to 15 minutes or until meringue is light golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Refrigerate until filling is set, about 3 hours. Store in refrigerator.

FoodFoodFood -Yummy Blueberry Muffins

Cooking Time: 25 min

What You'll Need:

•1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
•1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
•2 eggs
•2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
•2 teaspoons baking powder
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1/2 cup milk
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1 pint fresh or 1 (12-ounce) package frozen blueberries

Instructions

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 6-cup muffin tin with paper baking cups and coat with cooking spray.

2.In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat 1-1/4 cups sugar and the butter until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt; beat well. Add milk and vanilla, and beat until thoroughly combined. Mash 1/2 cup of the blueberries and stir into batter.

3.In a medium bowl, toss the remaining blueberries with the remaining flour. Fold into batter and spoon into baking cups, distributing batter evenly. Sprinkle tops with remaining sugar.

4.Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

FoodFoodFood - Easy Cake Pops

This “couldn’t-be-easier" version of trendy cake pops was shared with us by authors, Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, of the “Hello, Cupcake” cookbook series. Try them, and you’ll find that whimsical Fork Pops taste as good as they look!

Makes: 18 cake pops

What You'll Need:

•1 (16-ounce) store-bought frozen pound cake, thawed
•18 plastic forks
•1 (16-ounce) can vanilla frosting
•Assorted food colors
•Assorted candy for decorating

Instructions

1.Place pound cake on work surface. Trim to straighten ends then cut into 9 1-inch-thick slices. Cut two circles from each slice, using a 2-inch round cookie cutter or the rim of a small glass. Repeat with remaining slices to make 18 circles.

2.Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Carefully insert tines of a plastic fork into one side of each cake circle and place them on baking sheet. Freeze 15 minutes.

3.Place frosting in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave, stopping to stir frequently, until it has the texture of lightly whipped cream, about 10 seconds. Remove cake pops from freezer. Dip each pop in melted frosting to cover, allowing excess frosting to drip back into bowl, then return to baking sheet. Refrigerate until frosting is set, about 20 minutes.

4.Using assorted candies, food colors, (and your imagination), decorate any way you like.

FoodFoodFood - Baked Fish Scampi

Your oven does all the work and you're the hero who will lure everyone to the table to enjoy this delicious Baked Fish Scampi. Packed with lots of fresh flavor, this one will earn you a seaworthy thumbs up!

Serves: 4

Cooking Time: 20 min

What You'll Need:

•2 1/2 pounds cod fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
•3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter
•4 garlic cloves, minced
•2 scallions, sliced
•1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
•1 teaspoon dried oregano
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place fish in a 9- x 13-inch baking dish.

2.In a large skillet, melt butter over low heat. Add garlic, scallions, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper; saute 2 minutes. Pour mixture evenly over fish.

3.Bake 15 minutes, or until flakes easily with a fork.

FoodFoodFood -- Easy Cheese & Shrimp Appetizer

This quick and easy recipe has only 5 ingredients - such a simple and yummy way to start off your meal.

Serves: 4

Total Time: 10 min

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound cooked, unpeeled medium-size fresh shrimp (about 35 per pound)
• 3/4 to 1 cup salsa
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 green onion, chopped

Directions

1. Peel shrimp, and devein, if desired; chop shrimp.
2. Stir together salsa and cilantro. Place cream cheese on a serving plate; spoon salsa mixture over cream cheese. Top with shrimp, and sprinkle with green onion. Serve with tortilla chips.

FoodFoodFood-- Yummy Bacon Monkey Bread

Everything tastes better with bacon in it, and that goes for pull-apart  Monkey Bread. Whether for breakfast, brunch or a snack, this one will disappear in a flash!

Makes: 1 (10-inch) ring

Cooking Time: 40 min

Ingredients

11 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 small onion, chopped

3 (10-ounce) cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine bacon, Parmesan cheese, and onion; set aside.

Cut each biscuit into quarters. Dip one-third of biscuit pieces into melted butter, and place in prepared Bundt pan. Sprinkle with half of bacon mixture. Repeat layers with remaining biscuit pieces and bacon mixture, ending with biscuit pieces.

 Bake 40 minutes, or until golden. Cool in pan 10 minutes; invert onto a serving platter, and serve bread immediately.

FoodFoodFood - The Perfect French Fry

Everyone loves French Fries and when it comes to making them at home from fresh potatoes, well sometimes they are less than perfect. But you can still make them as perfect as any restaurant or your favorite fast food place.

Peel 2 pounds of potatoes, cutting them into long french-fry sticks, rinsing them and shaking off excess water.
Then transfer potatoes to a large deep heavy pot, spreading potatoes so they're no more than 2 layers deep. Pour in safflower or vegetable oil to cover potatoes by 1". Place pot over medium heat. Cook for 15 minutes (oil will begin bubbling gently). Continue cooking, occasionally loosening potatoes from the bottom of the pot with a heatproof spatula, until potatoes are very tender, 25-30 minutes more. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes longer (oil will bubble more vigorously).

As the temperature rises, the potatoes cook from the outer layer in until the fries are wonderfully crunchy outside and creamy in the center.