Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake

from Simple and Delicious magazine


1 jar (12 oz) maraschino cherries
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 chocolate cookie crust (9 inches)



Drain maraschino cherries, reserving 2 teaspoons juice. Cut cherries into quarters, set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and reserved cherry juice.

Add eggs; beat until just combined.

Fold in chocolate chips and reserved cherries.

Pour into crust, crust will be full.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until center is almost set.

Cool on a wire rack.

Frugal and healthy cooking . . .

There is a new entry to my favorite food links (found on the side bar of this blog) . . .

The Country Cook is a new blog I discovered today with great articles and practical ideas about saving money in the kitchen and cooking healthy . . . hope you enjoy it as much as I do :)

Cream soup base

Since I use Campbell's Cream of whatever soups alot in my cooking, I have been on a quest to find a recipe so I can save money and make my own . . . this one looks promising. I'll comment on it when I have tried it . . . if you try it first, please comment . . . or if you have a recipe for cream soup base to share.

You can use this recipe to make cream soup from most vegetables. Consider this for asparagus, fresh pea soup, carrot soup, celery soup, and more. Since tastes and veggies vary, be ready to tinker with amounts until you have it just right. You can make hot or cold soup with this recipe.

This is a great recipe for summer when the garden is overflowing with produce.

1 sweet onion, diced
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups vegetables of choice, diced
salt to taste
2/3 cup cream

Sauté the onion dices in the butter until they are tender and translucent but not browned.

Add the flour and stir and cook until a soft paste has formed but not browned.

While still cooking, pour in 1/2 cup of the broth while stirring with a whisk. Gradually add the rest of the broth, stirring to make the mixture smooth and not lumpy as if you were making gravy. Continue cooking until the mixture is bubbly and has thickened.

Add the vegetables and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are soft enough to mash easily.

Pour two to three cups of the liquid into your blender. Puree the mixture until it is smooth. Continue in batches until the entire soup is puréed.

Pour the soup through a strainer into a clean pan. Press any pieces through the sieve with the back of a spoon.

Salt the soup to taste. Add the cream. If the soup needs further thinning, add water. Reheat and serve.


Source: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BettyCrocker-PillsburysYesterdaysRecipes/

Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Sassy Fruit Salsa

Sassy Fruit Salsa
1 1/3 cups large chunks peeled kiwifruit (2 medium)
1 cup chopped peeled oranges (2 medium)
1 cup sliced strawberries
2 tablespoons lime juice
4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger root, if
desired

Cake
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
1 cup milk
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
Powdered sugar, if desired

In large bowl, mix salsa ingredients. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until chilled.

Heat oven to 325°F. Generously grease and flour, or spray with baking spray with flour, 10- or 12-cup fluted tube (bundt cake) pan. In medium bowl, beat dry cake mix, milk, cream cheese, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 2 minutes longer. Pour into pan.

Bake 40 to 46 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes; turn upside down onto cooling rack or heatproof serving plate and remove pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Place cake on serving plate; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Stir salsa; serve with cake. Store cake loosely covered. Store salsa covered in refrigerator.


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DoriesDeliciousDishes/

Reese's Cookies

3/4 cup butter or margarine or 1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup chocolate chips


Preheat over to 350

Cream butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy.

Add eggs; beat well.

Combine flour and baking soda; blend into creamed mixture.

Stir in chips.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet.

Makes 5 dozen.


Source: Reese's Peanut Butter Chips package

Crab Quesadillas

Provided by

(an awesome resource for healthy recipes!)


These quesadillas have an irresistibly creamy filling.

They also make great appetizers.

Make it a meal: Serve with your favorite salsa on top and a cup of black bean soup topped with chopped avocado.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
• 2 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese , softened
• 4 scallions , chopped
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper , finely chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapenos (optional)
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 8 ounces pasteurized crabmeat , drained if necessary
• 4 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas
• 2 teaspoons canola oil , divided

Preparation:

1. Combine Cheddar, cream cheese, scallions, bell pepper, cilantro, jalapenos (if using), orange zest and juice in a medium bowl. Gently stir in crab. Lay tortillas out on a work surface. Spread one-fourth of the filling on half of each tortilla. Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently to flatten.
   
   
2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 2 quesadillas in the pan and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges.

Serves 6

Lemony Olive Chicken

from Campbell's Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)

1/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 cup sliced pitted ripe olives

4 lemon slices

4 cups hot cooked rice

Directions:
HEAT oil in skillet. Add chicken and cook until browned.

ADD soup, milk, lemon juice, pepper and olives. Top with lemon slices. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 5 min. or until done. Serve with rice.

Serves 4.

Double Fudge Cream Cheese Brownies

BROWNIES:

1 cup butter or margarine
4 (1-oz.) squares unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups flour
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips


FILLING:

1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbs. margarine or butter, softened
3 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1 Tbs. flour
1/2 tsp. vanilla




Heat oven to 350.

In 2-quart saucepan combine 1 cup butter and unsweetened chocolate.

Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until melted
(4-6 minutes).

Stir in remaining brownie ingredients except chocolate chips.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Spread half of batter into greased 13x9 pan.

In small bowl stir together all filling ingredients. Spread over brownie mixture.

Spoon remaining batter over cream cheese. (Batter will not entirely cover cream cheese mixture).

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan.



Source: Land O'Lakes Butter

Cherry Cheese Pie

This recipe comes from the Eagle Brand Milk label and has been one of my favorite recipes for as long as I can remember. Very convenient recipe when I want to make something that is awesome and easy . . .



9-inch graham cracker crust or baked pie shell
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
21 oz. can cherry pie filling, chilled

In large mixer bowl, beat cheese until fluffy.

Gradually beat in milk until smooth.

Stir in lemon juice and vanilla.

Pour into prepared crust.

Chill 3 hours or until set.

Top with pie filling before serving.

Refrigerate leftovers.

Easy Pina Colada Coffee Cake

1-1/2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup Sugar
1 cup crushed pineapple, packed in fruit juice, drained, with 1/3 cup
liquid reserved
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons water
1 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp rum extract
2 TBS flaked coconut


Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Spray an 8x8 baking pan with butter-flavored cooking spray. In a
large bowl, combine the Bisquick and sugar. Add pineapple, reserved
pineapple juice, sour cream, and water. Mix gently just to combine.
Stir in coconut and rum extracts.

Evenly spread batter into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle coconut
evenly over the top.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the
center comes out clean.

Place baking dish on a wire rack and let cool for at least 15
minutes.

Cut into 8 servings

German Chocolate Pie

4 oz. German chocolate
1/4 cup butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 Tbs. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 cups evaporated milk
1 unbaked 10-inch pie crust

TOPPING:
1-1/3 cups shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans


Heat oven to 375.

In microwave, melt chocolate and butter on a low setting in a medium-size microwave-safe bowl. Stir several times during melting process to prevent burning.

When chocolate is melted, stir in sugar, salt, vanilla, cornstarch and beaten eggs until well blended.

Stir in evaporated milk until smooth.

Pour into pie shell.

Mix coconut and pecans together.

Sprinkle them evenly over the chocolate mixture.

Use a knife to cut through the coconut into the chocolate mixture in several places.

Bake 45-50 minutes or until center is set.

(The pie center puffs slightly and the top begins to crack when it is done. If the crust becomes too brown, place a piece of foil over the top of the entire pie for the final 15 minutes of baking.)

A dollop of whipped cream can be added if desired.

Source: 53rd Annual Cookbook - The Parkersburg News & Sentinel, 11/2007

Pork Fajitas

2 Tbs. fresh lime or lemon juice
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1 lb. pork cutlets (6 to 8), cut in 2-inch long, 1/2-inch wide strips
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas, stacked and wrapped in foil
1 large onion, halved and cut in thin strips
1 large red bell pepper, cut in thin strips
Salsa, optional

1. Mix lime juice, 1 Tbs. oil, the garlic, hot-pepper sauce, cumin and salt in a plastic food storage bag. Add pork, close bag and turn to coat. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile heat oven to 350. Place wrapped tortillas in oven and heat 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off oven (keep tortillas in oven until ready to use).

3. Heat remaining 1 Tbs. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and pepper and cook 7 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp-tender.

4. Add pork, increase heat to high and stir-fry 3 minutes or until pork is cooked through and vegetables are tender.

5. To make fajitas, fill each tortilla and about 1/2 cup pork mixture, top with salsa and roll up.

Serves 4.

Source: 50 Best-Ever, Super-Easy Meals, Woman's Day, February 22, 1994

Chicken and Stuffing Skillet

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. butter

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts halves

1 box (6 ounces) Pepperidge Farm® One Step Stuffing Chicken Mix

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular, 98% Fat Free or 25% Less Sodium)

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:
Heat the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 15 minutes or until it's well browned on both sides and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet.

Prepare the stuffing in the skillet according to the package directions except let stand for 2 minutes.

Return the chicken to the skillet. Stir the soup and milk in a small bowl. Pour the soup mixture over the chicken. Sprinkle with the cheese. Cover and cook over medium heat until the mixture is hot and the cheese is melted.

Serves 4.

Source: Campbell's Kitchen

Colonial Corn Chowder

6 slices bacon
1-1/2 cups diced raw potato
1 medium onion
1/2 green pepper
1 quart milk
1 can cream-style corn
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp. curry powder, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Pare and dice potatoes. Simmer in boiling salted water until tender, about 15 minutes.

In soup pot, cook cut-up bacon until crisp.

Remove to paper towel with slotted spoon.

Remove excess bacon drippings, leaving enough to coat bottom of pot.

Saute chopped onion and green pepper in bacon fat for 5 minutes.

Stir in all other ingredients, including potatoes and the water in which they were
cooked.

Season to taste.

Garnish servings with crumbled crisp bacon.

Serves 6 to 8.

-Women's Circle Home Cooking, December 1982

Morrison's / Piccadilly Macaroni and Cheese

2 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 1/4 cups milk, warmed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs
2 cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cook macaroni according to package directions and drain.

Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat.

Stir in flour and cook 1 minute.

Use a whisk and add milk, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens.

Add salt and pepper.

Beat eggs slightly and add small amount of sauce to eggs and then add remaining egg mixture to sauce.

Set aside 1/3 cup grated cheese for top.

Add one third macaroni to a buttered 2 quart casserole, alternating layers of macaroni and cheese.

Pour sauce all over and add reserved cheese.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes and serve.

Cheesy Potato Casserole

Cooking time: 14 minutes
No. of Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1 bag Steam n Mash Cut Russet Potatoes
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

Stir 1 cup of the cheddar cheese and cream of chicken soup together,
adding salt and pepper to taste.

Mix cheese mixture with frozen potatoes
and onion in a microwave safe casserole dish.

Microwave for 12 minutes;
stirring half-way through.

Top with shredded cheese and heat an
additional 30 seconds.

Salsa

Quick and Easy Salsa
Makes 3 cups

3 red tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), seeded, chopped and drained of some
juice
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, minced (add to taste)
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and mix gently.

Cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours before serving.

Perfectly Melted Chocolate

Melting chocolate for baking is an exacting task, if not done
perfectly you can end up with a burned or grainy mess and ruin
whatever you are baking. Below are 3 methods for melting chocolate,
each can be successful in it's own way and you need only pick a method
that works for you and get cooking!

In The Oven

Chocolate can be melted in the oven quite easily but you will need to
be very diligent about watching it. It's easy to get caught up in your
other baking chores and not realize that you have overheated it until
it is too late. To melt chocolate in the oven, heat the oven to 110
degrees. Chop the chocolate and place in a dish inside the oven. Keep
the door open and check regularly. It will take about an hour to melt
thoroughly.

Double Boiler Method

This tried and true method uses two pots or a special double boiler
pot. The bottom pot has about an inch of water in it and the top pot
is a bit smaller and rests on the bottom pot. The water should be
heated to just below a simmer. Chop the chocolate and put it in the
top pot. The chocolate should be stirred until melted and you must be
very careful not to get any water mixed in with the chocolate as this
will make it grainy.

Microwave

Using the microwave to melt chocolate can be the fastest but also the
most disastrous method as a couple of seconds of overheating can ruin
the chocolate. Chop the chocolate and put it in a microwave safe bowl.
Heat on 50% for 1 to 4 minutes - the amount of time needed will depend
on the amount of chocolate you are melting so you will have to watch
the chocolate the whole time. When you see that it is turning shiny
and before it is fully melted, remove it from the oven and stir until
it melts fully.


About the author:
Lee Dobbins is editor of www.online-gourmet-foods.com where you can
learn more about gourmet food and find out more about gourmet chocolate.

S'mores Brownies

Ingredients

Crust:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch fine salt

Brownie:

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 4 large cold eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Topping:

• 4 cups large marshmallows

Directions

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 by-8-inch square baking pan with foil so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch.

For the crust: Lightly butter the foil with some of the melted butter. Stir the rest of the butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the brownie. Put the butter and chocolate in a medium microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir, and microwave again until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. Alternatively, put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted. Stir the light brown and white sugars, vanilla and salt into the melted chocolate. Add the eggs and beat vigorously to make a thick and glossy batter. Add the flour and stir until just incorporated.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is crispy and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few crumbs, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and carefully position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and preheat on low. Layer marshmallows across the top and toast under the broiler until golden, (keep an eye on it, it can go quick), about 2 minutes. Cool on a rack, gently removing the brownies from the pan using the aluminum flaps. Carefully separate any marshmallow from the foil and fold away. Cut into 12 (2-inch) squares.

Copyright 2007 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved

Stove Top Easy Chicken Bake

6 oz. pkg. Stove Top stuffing mix for chicken
1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup sour cream
16 oz. pkg. frozen mixed vegetables, thawed, drained

1. Heat oven to 400. Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package.
Mix chicken, soup, sour cream and vegetables in 13x9 inch baking dish;
top with stuffing.

2. Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Enjoy now or
cover and refrigerate. To reheat, microwave each serving on high 2 to
3 minutes.

Tip:
If using a deeper, narrower baking dish, increase baking time by 15
minutes or until cooked through.

Source: Kraft Food & Family Magazine, Fall 2008