White Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Cookies

So, I can't wait to make these. It was featured on the talk show Good Things Utah for winning the state fair I think. If you click on the link below it will take you to the website where I got this recipe and it also has a video of the preparation if you'd like to see that.

abc4.com

Prepared by viewer Heather Merrill

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup white granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ cup shortening
• ¼ cup butter or margarine softened
• ¼ cup white chocolate chips melted
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 ½ cups white chocolate chips

• 8 oz package cream cheese softened
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1-2 Tbsp milk

• 1 can cherry pie filling

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In large mixing bowl cream together sugars, shortening, margarine, vanilla and eggs. Add in slightly cooled melted white chocolate. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Beat at low speed until soft dough forms. Stir in white chocolate chips.

Cream together softened cream cheese , powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir in milk until blended.

Drop dough by heaping teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Make an indention with your finger or spoon in top of dough. Drop a teaspoon of cream cheese mixture into each indention. Bake for 10 -12 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool for 1-2 minutes before removing from cookie sheet. Let cool. Spoon on cherry pie filling. Store in refrigerator.

Makes about 3 dozen

Hawaiian Chicken (POrk would be yummy too!)

Hawaiian Grilled Chicken

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup soy sauce

3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (could substitute with other garlic sources)

1-2 tsp fresh oregano

1-2 tsp fresh rosemary

1-2 tsp fresh basil

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black or lemon pepper

Chicken Breast

Combine all ingredients minus the chicken. Thinly slice chicken breast horizontally then cut again into strips. Place in a bag with marinade for at least 15 minutes, but the longer the better. I used about 1.5 lbs of chicken, but there was enough marinade you could probably even use as much as 4 pounds for this recipe.

Grill at a low heat setting allowing a nice color, but not over cooking your thin chicken slices.

Variation: Wine vinegar may be substituted for the lemon juice (I actually added both though!). If fresh herbs are not available, substitute 1/2-3/4 tsp dried.

Serve with Rice or other grilled meats and veggies. Enjoy!

Fresh Pears, Mmmmmmm...

I haven't posted any recipes for awhile, life has been a little hectic, but I have tried a few new things lately that I had to share. We got some fresh pears from the Church's pear farm in Medford and a couple of things I have made are here:

Pear Cranberry Salad

1 pear peeled and diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 head lettuce chopped (add other greens it would be delish!)
1 grilled chicken breast (I have used chicken cooked with a variety of marinades in this salad and they have all proven to be great!)
1/2 cup chow mein noodles
Poppy Seed dressing

Pretty much mix it all up! The dressing amount is to your taste. I prefer this salad with less dressing as you already have a lot of sweet flavor with the pears and the cranberries, and flavor from the chicken as well. I could eat this every day and it probably would be even better with a little gargonzola or other crumble cheese!


Slow Cooked Pear Cobbler

3-4 Medium Pears peeled and sliced

1 cup all-porpose flour

1 1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1. Spray inside of 2 to 3 1/2 quart slow cooker wtih cooking spray.

2. Mix pears with 3/4 cup of sugar and add to the cooker.

3. Beat the remaining ingredients with spoon until smooth. Spread batter over the pear sugar mixture

4. Cover and cook on high heat setting 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

(If you want to bake in the oven, add 1 egg to the mixutre and add pears over the batter instead under. Cook at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until nicely browned and pears are tender.)

Serve with Ice Cream or Whipped Cream.

Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler

This is my first post to this blog...but I had to share this delicious recipe. We have it all of the time in the summer. To me, it is the ultimate summer dessert. Just top with really good Vanilla Ice Cream and you are in heaven!





I'm not going to put quantities because it depends on the size of your Dutch Oven. Just make sure your peach layer and your cake layer are about the same depth size.

Peaches (canned or fresh)
White or Yellow Cake Mix
Butter


Place sliced peaches in bottom of your dutch oven using about 1/3 of the juices (if using fresh, pour in a small amount of Sprite for the juice). Evenly sprinkle the cake mix over peaches, making sure to cover them completely. Slice up a cube of butter and place evenly over cake mix. Cover with lid and put coals on both top and bottom (again, depends on how big your dutch oven is, usually around 12 each). Let bake for about 30 minutes or until cake is golden brown. Watch closely and serve with ice cream.

Strawberry Whipped Sensation

My sister-in-law grabbed this recipe from a Better Homes and Gardens magazine and it is divine. Every time I've made it, I have used more oreo cookies than it calls for, and I have also tried it in a 9x13 cake pan and a cookie sheet. It has been yummy no matter how it is done. When I do it in a longer pan though, I usually need more cool whip too. ENJOY!


Strawberry Whipped Sensation

4 cups fresh strawberries, divided
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tub (8oz.) cool whip, thawed and divided
8 Oreo cookies, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. Butter, melted


Line 8x4 inch loaf pan with tin foil.
Slice all of your strawberries. Take out 2 cups and set aside to use for the top. Put the other 2 cups of strawberries in a bowl to be mashed. Chop your oreos.
Mash the 2 cups of strawberries in a large bowl. Stir in condensed milk, juice and 2 cups of the cool whip; pour into pan lined with tin foil.
Top with combined chopped cookies and butter; press into mixture. Cover.
Freeze at least 6 hours. To serve, invert onto plate. Remove foil. Frost with remaining cool whip. Top with remaining strawberries, sliced.

Makes 12 servings

Cake Cookies

There are so many variations you can do with this easy cookie recipe. This oreo style includes the frosting recipe.

Ingredients:
-1 box devils food cake mix (you can use other flavors too)
-1/3 c. oil
-2 eggs

Mix all together. Put in ball shape on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in 350º for 10-12 minutes

Other Additions: Chocolate chips, mint chips, white chips, peanut butter chips, or raisins.

Frosting Recipe:
4 oz. Cream cheese, softened
1/4 cube butter (2 Tbs.), softened
Powdered sugar to desired consistency like frosting

Mix well.
Put frosting on bottom of one cookie and add a cookie on top, Oreo style.
These taste really good well chilled!

Easy Chicken Parmesan

1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce

6 Tbsp. Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided

6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.)

1-1/2 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

HEAT oven to 375°F. Pour sauce into 13x9-inch baking dish. Stir in 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp.) Parmesan. Add chicken; turn to coat both sides with sauce. Cover with foil.

BAKE 30 min. Uncover.

TOP with remaining cheeses; bake 5 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF) and cheese is melted.

{This is delicious over your favorite pasta!! Tonight we are trying it with the Large Shells kind.}