Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins

Ingredients:

1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1-1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup strawberry jam



Directions:

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until smooth set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.

In another small bowl, whisk the egg, milk, brown sugar, butter, lemon peel and almond extract.

Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

Spoon half of the batter into greased muffin cups. Top each with 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture and 1 teaspoon jam. Top with remaining batter.



Bake at 375° for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

Yield: 1 dozen.

Banana Sour Cream Cake

18 oz. box yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup oil
8 oz. pkg. Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
16 oz. pkg. powdered sugar (about 4 cups)
1 cup Planters Walnut pieces, finely chopped


1. Heat oven to 350. Beat cake mix, eggs, bananas, sour cream and oil
with mixer on low until moistened, scraping bottom of bowl often.
Beat on medium 2 minutes. Pour into greased and floured 13x9" pan.

2. Bake 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out
clean. Cool cake completely in pan on wire rack.

3. Beat cream cheese and butter with mixer on medium until blended.
Gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition.

4. Remove cake from pan. Carefully cut cake crosswise in half using
serrated knife. Place 1 cake half, top-side down, on plate; spread
top with frosting. Top with remaining cake half; top side up. Frost
top and sides. Press nuts onto sides.


How to Neatly Frost the Cake:
Freeze cake layers about 20 minutes before frosting. This helps to
set the crumbs on the cut edges of the cake layers so they don't pull
up into the frosting. And don't worry if the frosting does not look
perfect on the sides of the cake - the nuts will cover any
imperfections.

Variation How to Prepare in Round Cake Pans
Prepare as directed. Pour evenly into 2 greased and floured 8- or
9-inch round cake pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick
inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on wire
rack; remove from pans. Fill and frost with Philadelphia Walnut
Frosting. Store in refrigerator.


Source: Kraft.com

Cheap Meals 101 . . . the Gina way

This is more of a cooking concept and what I try to have in the kitchen pantry than an actual recipe.

In my personal every day cooking, if I'm not following a specific recipe, I literally throw a meal together based on what is in my refrigerator and what I'm hungry for. Even in days when money is not a concern, I still cook "cheap" because I hate to waste anything.

It is said that poor people are fat people . . . such is the case with my style of cooking, which usually includes rice, pasta, potatoes or Campbell's "cream of something soup".

Bisquick is my secret to awesome biscuits and pancakes. I must come up with a recipe for both a Bisquick type of baking mix and a "cream of soup" recipe to make cooking even cheaper.

While it is important to pay attention to the type of food you are eating, what is equally or more important is to eat in moderation.

There are other "must haves" for my pantry . . .

One of my greatest cooking secrets is using the mind boggling variety of salad dressing on the market. Cheap, expensive, healthy, not healthy, low fat, no fat . . .

My favorite salad dressings for cooking are . . . italian dressing, vinegar and oil combinations and my favorite for an oriental flavor is something called Asian Sesame with Ginger and Soy. Check out the salad dressing section of your grocery store . . . I stock up when they go on "buy one get one free" sales.

An assortment of cheeses . . . mozarella, cheddar and parmesean . . . always have them on hand.

Pasta sauces in a jar . . . red and white . . . they come in an assortment of flavors . . . stock up when they go on "buy one get one free" sales.

Dry or canned beans . . . whatever you love. Different varieties of beans and rice are among my favorite meals.

Veggies . . . I always have potatoes, onion, pepper assortment and LOTS OF GARLIC. Tomato is also great to have on hand, but you can do without it. When I can afford it, fresh mushrooms are a must . . . I love them in almost everything.

Meat is optional . . .

I buy eggs two dozen at a time . . .

Although I am not necessarily a vegetarian, I could easily adapt to that lifestyle. I rarely eat beef. I stock up on frozen chicken tenderloins . . . fast, cheap and easy. When whole chickens are on sale . . . go for it . . . super bargain . . . even cheaper.

An example of a thrown together fast and easy "cheap" meal . . .

Start a pot of white rice or pasta . . .

Saute onions, pepper and garlic until almost caramelized . . . throw in chicken, fish or pork and cook until browned. (If using shrimp . . . wait until the last 4 minutes of cooking to add to the mix)

Add salad dressing of your choice . . . between the juice of the onions, pepper and salad dressing, this is your sauce . . . put in as much salad dressing to make the consistency you like.

Cook around 10 minutes or enough for the flavors to blend . . . you must taste as you cook . . . that is half the fun!

Voila . . . cheap, fast, easy and delicious meal . . . let the stove do the work. I find that the longer you cook a meal, the better it tastes as the flavors blend. Usually I get it started, turn down on a lower heat and let it cook down, sometimes for at least an hour, stirring occasionally.

I don't use anything but stainless steel cookware . . . it works for my style of cooking and it does make a difference.

There are various combinations of type of meat and spices that I use . . . I'll try to come up with specific recipes.

Otherwise . . . don't be afraid to experiment . . . if it turns out bad, either have a salad or peanut butter and jelly sandwich or call for a pizza delivery . . . depending on how your money situation is. :)

If you use ingredients that you naturally enjoy anyway, you can't go wrong.

Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker oatmeal cookie mix
1/2 cup firm butter or margarine
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. Flour
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 egg
1 can (21 oz) apple pie filling
1/2 tsp. Ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with
Cooking spray.

2. Place cookie mix in large bowl. With pastry blender or fork, cut in
Butter until mixture is crumbly and coarse. Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumb
Mixture; press remaining crumbs in bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla and
Egg with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.

4. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over partially baked crust. In medium
Bowl, mix pie filling and cinnamon. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.
Sprinkle reserved crumbs over top. Sprinkle with walnuts.

5. Bake 35 to 40 minutes longer or until light golden brown. Cool about 30
Minutes. Refrigerate to chill, about 2 hours. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4
Rows. Store covered in refrigerator.