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Cherry Pie Cupcakes

Ingredients

for the cake:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup sour cream, room temperature
  • 2 cups cherries, pitted (frozen is fine)
  • cherry pie filling, homemade or store-bought

for the orange buttercream:

  • 2 cups (16 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • orange zest from one orange

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, set aside.

3. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla extract. Reduce speed to low.

4. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until combined after each. Stir in cherries. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full.

5. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.

6. To make the frosting, with an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium. Add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed; after every two additions, raise speed to high and beat 10 seconds to aerate frosting, then return to medium-high. This process should take about 5 minutes. Frosting will be very pale and fluffy. Add vanilla and zest, and beat until frosting is smooth.

7. To fill the cupcakes, carve out a cone-shaped hole (and immediately eat the cone)(after adding frosting to it, of course) and carefully spoon the pie filling inside. Apply frosting generously to cupcakes and devour.

French Onion Soup Burger

Ingredients

  • 1lb lean ground beef or turkey
  • 1 Packet of Lipton Onion soup Mix
  • 1 Packet of Beef Seasoning or 1 packet of “Au Jus” seasoning
  • 5 medium Onions
  • 8 tbs. Butter
  • Swiss Cheese or Gruyere Cheese Slices
  • Burger Buns

Instructions

1. Slice up the Onions , keeping them thin…wipe your tears!

2. In a medium pan, add the butter and the onions and let them get golden & caramelized. Stir them to keep them evenly coated in the butter.

3. Mix the ground beef with the Soup packet and form burger patties.

4. Grill them up until they’re done to your liking!

5. While they’re grilling up, make the Au Jus! Add the packet with 2 cups of water to a medium pot and simmer.

6. Top those hot burgers with a generous amount of Swiss/Gruyere cheese, cover them with a foil tent and let it get melty!

7. Brush the buns with some warm Au Jus!

8. Now stack that big juicy, cheesy burger…You’ll need two hands and/or a knife and napkins for sure!

9. ENJOY!

Recipe Source & Photo Credit is courtesy of: Oh Bite It

Chicken Ranch Tacos

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked chicken, cut up
  • 1 pkt. taco seasoning (chicken or beef)
  • 1/2 cup Ranch dressing
  • taco shells
  • taco fixin’s (lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, ranch dressing, etc.)

Instructions

1. Heat a skillet over med-high heat. Add chicken & warm it for a few minutes. Sprinkle on the dry taco seasoning. Do not add any water! Heat for 5-7 minutes until heated thoroughly & seasoning is stuck to the chicken.

2. Add Ranch dressing and heat for an additional 2-3 minutes.

3. Serve in taco shells with all the fixin’s you love & ENJOY!

Recipe & Photo Credit is courtesy of http://www.pedersenfood.blogspot.com

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup finely chopped carrot
  • 1 celery stick, finely chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 large baking potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon flour
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 2 cups chopped broccoli
  • 2 heaping cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute over medium heat until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 or 2 additional minutes.

2. Add chicken broth and potatoes, bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are tender. Mix flour with water, add, and simmer until soup is slightly thickened. Add milk and broccoli and cook until broccoli is just tender and soup is heated through. Stir in cheese, allow to melt.

3. Serve & Enjoy!

Loaded Cookie Dough Dip

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
  • 1/2 Cup Butter, softened
  • 1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
  • 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
  • 3 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla
  • 1 Cup Oats (regular or quick)
  • 1 Cup Miniature Plain M&Ms
  • 1 Cup Miniature Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Instructions

1. Mix cream cheese, butter, vanilla and peanut butter until smooth. Stir in brown sugar and powdered sugar, mixing well. Next fold in oats, m&ms and chocolate chips.

2. Serve with pretzels or graham cracker sticks or your favorite dippers.

Baked Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 3 large fresh rosemary sprigs, cut in half
  • 3 fresh oregano sprigs
  • 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1 large lemon
  • 2 lbs. extra-large shrimp (26 to 30 per lb.), preferably wild, peeled and deveined
  • 2 Tbs. white wine vinegar
  • Kosher salt to taste

Instructions

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.

2. Cut the lemon in half top to bottom (tip to tip), then take one half of ther lemon, place it on its flat (cut) surface, and slice across into thin half-moon shapes. Take the other half of the lemon, place IT on its flat side, then cut it top to tip to tip again, then across into 10-12 chunks.

3. Place the peppercorns and coriander seeds in a mortar and pestle and crush until well cracked and broken.

4. Pour the oil into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Add the herb sprigs, pepper and coriander, and the lemon chunks. Bake until the oil mixture is fragrant, about 12-15 minutes.

5. Add the shrimp to the dish and toss with tongs until coated, and top with the half-moon slices of lemon. Bake the shrimp until pink and firm, 8 to 10 minutes.

6. Remove the dish from the oven, add the vinegar and kosher salt to taste, toss well, and let rest at room temperature until the oil cools slightly, about 5 minutes, before serving.

Source: Fine Cooking Magazine

Lemon Pound Cake

Ingredients

for the cake

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 (8 ounce) cream cheese, soften
  • 1 (3 1/2 ounce) package Jell-O lemon gelatin mix
  • 1 (18 1/2 ounce) package Betty Crocker Lemon cake mix
  • 3/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon extract

for the glaze

  • 5-6 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • grated zest of 2 lemon
  • 6 tablespoons canola oil
  • 6 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Spray bunt pan with cooking spray. Combine the cake mix, gelatin mix, cream cheese, eggs lemon extract and oil; blend well with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 – 3 minutes.

3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Place waxed paper underneath to catch any drips.

4. To make the glaze, sift the sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, zest, oil, and water. Mix with a spoon until smooth.
Spoon or drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake while it’s still warm, covering as much of the cake as possible.

5. Serve & Enjoy!

*CHEF’S TIP – For an extra boost of lemony flavor; Poke holes in the cake and pour 1/2 of the glaze over the cake while still in the pan when it comes out the oven.

Smoothie Recipes For “Everything”

Source: Super Skinny Me

 

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Broccoli is my favorite veggie and I will eat it any way I can get it. In a salad, in a soup or just plain ole’ by itself.  Which brings me to this recipe; Broccoli Cheddar Soup. I love me some soup just like I love me some salad. So if you’re looking for a broccoli cheddar soup recipe that is flavorful, creamy, comforting and downright addictive then whip this baby up ASAP. I’m so adding this as a regular to our fall/winter lunch & dinner menu.

Ingredients

  • 2-3 cups fresh broccoli
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup white onions, finely diced (can use more)
  • 1/2 cup baby carrots, finely diced *optional*
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup smoked gouda cheese

Instructions

1. Place broccoli in a large bowl with about 4 tablespoons of water. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and microwave for 7-10 minutes or until broccoli is steamed and tender. Chop broccoli into tiny pieces. Set aside.

2. In a medium pot, add broth, onion, carrots and garlic. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until onions are tender. Set aside.

3. Add milk and heavy cream to a bowl and microwave until warm. Set aside.

4. In a large pot or deep skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour, stirring constantly for about 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat if flour starts to brown. Add in salt and pepper and continue to stir for 1 minute.

5. Next slowly stir in milk and heavy cream. Stir in chicken broth mixture. Stir in cheeses and add the broccoli. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

6. Serve hot in bread bowls or regular bowls & Enjoy.

Monster Cookies

Monster cookies aren’t anything new. They’ve been around a very long time. They are basically a peanut butter- oatmeal cookie with chocolate chips and M&M candies mixed in. Just imagine sinking your teeth into these chewy and bumpy like texture cookies. You immediately notice the irresistible duo of peanut butter and chocolate and almost instantly there’s that crunch from the m & m’s. So many beautiful things are going on in your mouth that it’s like having a taste overload. Okay enough talking about it. It’s time to BAKE!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups creamy or chunky peanut butter
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 4 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup M&M’s plain chocolate candies

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray, or line with parchment paper or a silpat mats.

2. In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter with the sugars and butter. Use an electric mixer to mix until well combined. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Mix in the oats and baking soda. Then stir in the chips and M&M’s.

3. Drop the cookies by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets. If you’d like your cookies to look pretty (like the photo), dot a few extra M&M’s and chocolate chips on each mound of dough before baking.

4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheets until cookies are set. Transfer to wire racks; cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

*CHEF’S TIP – These cookie store great in the freezer.