Homemade Cream Cheese Mints~by Kelsey

I found this on Pinterest.  Very quick and easy and good!  I made them plain, but there are all sorts of variations. 
 
http://kelleyhighway.blogspot.com/2012/03/homemade-cream-cheese-mints.html


Ingredients:

1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon pure peppermint or mint extract

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

(Optional) Food coloring

(Optional) Rainbow-colored sugar crystals

Line baking sheets with waxed paper. 

In a mixing bowl, with an electric mixer beat together softened cream cheese and peppermint extract.  This is a good time to add the food coloring if you want.

 

Add powdered sugar gradually and beat until smooth, kneading in the last of the powdered sugar with hands or a heavy spoon.

 

 Lightly dust the wax paper-lined baking sheets with sifted powdered sugar.

 

Using a 1/2-teaspoon measuring spoon, form mixture into balls the size of a cherry.

 

 Place two rows of dough balls 1/2-inch or so apart, then flatten with a pretty stamp or a fork, like I do.  If you'll lay out a couple rows first, by the time you're ready to roll out the third row, the tops of the dough balls are dry enough to flatten easily without having to dip and re-dip the fork in powdered sugar.

 

 Let the mints stand overnight.  Every several hours, gently turn them over.

 

Follow the link I posted to see all the different variations.

Green Apple Dip~by Kelsey

From the Bring 'Em On Home cook book.

Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese
Jar of marshmallow cream
Granny Smith apples, cut into wedges

Mix the cream cheese and marshmallow cream.  Dip the apples or other fruits. 

Commissioner's Corn~by Kelsey

Another fine recipe from the Bring 'Em On Home cook book.  It's a really great cook book and I highly recommend it.

Ingredients:
30 oz frozen corn
2-8 oz packages cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
4 oz can diced green chilies
1 small can Jalapenos, or to taste (I used a full can, and it was very spicy.  I think I would recommend half a can.)

Combine all ingredients together in a crock pot and cook on low heat for about two hours.  Serve with crushed Ritz crackers on top.

Lime Jello~by Kelsey

I found this recipe in my new Bring 'Em On Home cookbook.  It's all family-favorite recipes from rodeo cowboys and their families.  It's a really great cookbook!  This recipe was a bit ambiguous.  It called for "x-large" packages so I had to do some experimenting to get the right sizes.  I am writing it down with the sizes that I had success with.

Ingredients:
29 oz can of pears
8 oz cream cheese
6 oz lime jello
8 oz Cool Whip

Drain the pear juice into a cooking pan.  On the stove over medium heat, stir and dissolve the Jello into the pear juice, then cool off a little.  In a blender, blend pears and cream cheese.  In a medium-sized glass pan, combine the Jello mixture with the pear mixture and then fold in cool whip.  Let set in the refrigerator.

Peanut butter-filled brownie cupcakes~by Kelsey

I recently found this recipe in the Country magazine.  And I immediately tried it out.  It was very easy and delicious.  I ended up with about 15 cupcakes, plus had enough filling left over to make a whole cupcake out of just the peanut butter filling!

Ingredients:
1 pkg fudge brownie mix (you will also need the ingredients listed on the back, usually just eggs and oil)
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips (I used regular size)
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 Tbsp cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

Prepare brownie batter according to package directions, stir in chocolate chips.  For filling, in a small bowl, beat peanut butter, cream cheese, egg and sugar until smooth.  Fill paper-lined muffin cups one third full with batter.  Drop filling by teaspoonfuls into the center of each cupcake.  Cover with remaining batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before removing.  Dust tops with confectioners sugar.  Store in refrigerator.

Company Casserole ~ by Kelsey

This is from my "A Taste of Oregon" cookbook.  I am going to post the recipe as it is written in the book, but I will note the changes I made when I prepared it.  This was SO good.  Even Grace ate it, and she NEVER eats what I cook for dinner.  I completely left out the butter this recipe calls for, and it was still very rich!

Ingredients:
4 cups uncooked egg noodles
2 pounds ground beef ( I used 1.5 lbs since that's how ours is packaged)
1 tablespoon butter (again, I left out the butter)
4 8-oz cans tomato sauce
1 cup cottage cheese
1 8-oz package cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup chopped scallion or onion
1 tablespoon chopped green pepper (Now this confused me.  One tablespoon?  Seemed like a typo.  I used one whole green pepper)
2 tablespoons butter, melted (again, omitted by me)

Cook and drain noodles.  Saute beef in large skillet, using one tablespoon butter, until brown.  Stir in tomato sauce and remove from heat.  Set aside.  Combine in a bowl the cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, scallion, and green pepper.  Using a 3-quart casserole, spread half the noodles, then cover with the cheese mixture.  Add the rest of the noodles. (I found it hard to spread the cheese on the noodles, so I ended up just mixing the cheese with the noodles.)  Pour two tablespoons of melted butter over top of noodles.  Cover with meat mixture.  Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 375.

Frank's Redhot Buffalo Chicken Dip ~ by Sarah

Cousin Amy brought this to Thanksgiving as an appetizer and we all loved it!  Serve it with bread, crackers, celery, and/or carrots...it will be a hit!

INGREDIENTS:
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch salad dressing
1/2 cup FRANK'S® REDHOT® Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce or FRANK'S® REDHOT® Buffalo Wing Sauce
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cans (12.5 oz. each) SWANSON® White Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

DIRECTIONS: HEAT oven to 350°F. Place cream cheese into deep baking dish. Stir until smooth. MIX in salad dressing, Frank's RedHot Sauce and cheese. Stir in chicken. BAKE 20 min. or until mixture is heated through; stir. Garnish as desired. Serve with crackers or vegetables.

Apple-Ham-Cream Cheese Sandwiches~by Kelsey

This is actually a Molly recipe.  She makes them for us sometimes, and we always love them.  I actually even figured out how to make them WITHOUT Molly!  I am so independent!  I know the ingredients sound weird, but trust me, these are SO good!

Ingredients:
Apples
Deli Ham
Cream Cheese (spreadable)
Bread of your choice
Mayonnaise

Start out by washing and slicing the apple.  You can peel it if you want, but I don't.  Slice it into thin rings that look like this:

Cut out the seed part in the middle.  Fry them on the stove for a few minutes (you might want to add a little butter or use cooking spray).  You just want to soften them up a bit.  In the meantime, spread some cream cheese on the bread, and pile on the deli ham.  Add the fried apples, close the sandwich, and put a little mayo on the outside.  Cook the sandwich in the frying pan until it's browned.  Enjoy!  Notice I have no picture of the finished product.  I couldn't take the time, I had to eat it!

Chili Cream Cheese Dip~by Kelsey

This recipe was introduced to us by our neighbors down the road, the Bruhn family.  It's simple and really tasty.

Ingredients:
Canned Chili (You decide what kind.  We have used hot, regular or the Walla Walla sweet one.)
Cream Cheese Bricks

On the stove top or in a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chili and the cream cheese.  The ratio is really up to you.  I think we usually use about one can of chili to one brick of cream cheese.   Heat and stir until the cream cheese is melted.    You can also add shredded cheddar cheese or cooked ground beef.  Serve with chips.

Elegant Dessert ~ by Sarah

This comes from the Pioneer Cookbook--the one from the North Powder residents.  Make this and you will be the most popular person at the event you take it to.  Trust me.  It's a requirement at any Anderson Thanksgiving.  Jordan, Matt, and Andy threaten to steal it as soon as I arrive.  It's heaven on a plate!

Ingredients:
1 cube butter
1 c. flour
1 3/4 c. chopped nuts*
8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar
9 oz. Cool Whip
1 small package chocolate pudding
1 small package vanilla pudding
3 c. milk
1 t. vanilla

*I hate nuts so I never use them in this recipe.  (Which makes Mom crazy.)  If you don't put the nuts in the crust, you will need to 1 1/2 the crust--1 1/2 cubes of butter and 1 1/2 c. of flour.

Directions:
Mix butter, flour, and 1 cup nuts (if you want them).  Spread in 13x9-inch pan.  Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees.  Cool completely.  Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, and 1 cup Cool Whip together.  Spread over crust.  Mix 2 pudding mixes, milk, and vanilla.  Beat until it starts to thicken.  Pour over cream cheese layer and chill.  Spread remaining Cool Whip on pudding layer and sprinkle with nuts.  (Since I don't sprinkle it with nuts, I grate chocolate and sprinkle it on the top.)

*I am crying right now over the fact that there were no leftovers of this!  Only one piece was enjoyed by me!

24-Hour Fruit Salad~by Kelsey

I got this recipe from Grandma Jessie.

Ingredients:
6 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 apple
3-4 bananas
1 can pineapple chunks
2 cans mandarin oranges
1 can fruit cocktail
2 cups mini-marshmallows
1/2 pint whipping cream

Mix cream cheese and mayonnaise.  Add all ingredients except the marshmallows and whipping cream.  Whip cream, fold in marshmallows.  Fold marshmallow/cream mixture into the fruit.  Let sit in the fridge overnight.

Fruit Pizza ~ by Sarah

This recipe came from Pioneer Cookbook, a compilation of recipes from people in the North Powder area.  Our family has been enjoying this recipe for years!

Sugar Cookie Crust:
3/4 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking powder

Put butter in bowl.  Add sugar.  Squish with fork.  Add 2 eggs and vanilla.  Blend in remaining ingredients.  Chill 1 hour.  Spread out on pizza pan.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes or until the edges are brown.  Cool completely.

Topping:
8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 of an 8 oz. container of Cool Whip
1/2 c. frozen orange juice, diluted only 1/2 as directed on can
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/2 c. sugar
3 T. cornstarch
3/4 c. water
assorted fruit slices

Directions:
Blend until smooth the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and Cool Whip.  Spread evenly over cooled crust.

Give your son the beater to lick:

Place any desired fruit pieces on the filling.  I used strawberries, peaches, and blueberries since that was what the fruit stand had.  We've used huckleberries, bananas, and kiwis, too.

For the glaze, cook until clear and thickened the orange juice, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch and water.  Cool and pour over the fruit.  (The can be made ahead and refrigerated.)  You are likely to have quite a bit of this left over!

Serve to your bratty younger sister when she finally comes home from Germany.

Creamy Rosemary Potatoes ~ by Sarah

This is a Pioneer Woman recipe. Be careful, you're bound to gain a pound just from reading the ingredient list! They are very, very good, though!

Ingredients:
4 T. (1/2 stick) butter
1 c. half-and-half
5 or 6 medium russet potatoes, unpeeled, sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 to 1 t. salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 T minced rosemary leaves (The recipe actually calls for 2, but the rosemary flavor was almost overwhelming, so next time I'm going to half it.)
3 green onions, light green and medium green parts, thinly sliced
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
3 T minced chives

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.  Rub the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan with softened butter.  (I just sprayed it with Pam, instead.)  Combine the half-and-half and the cream in a large measuring cup.  Using a mandolin or a very sharp knife, slice the potatoes very thinly.  Place the potatoes in a large bowl.  Drizzle with half of the half-and-half/cream mixture and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter.  Add the garlic and onion and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes.  Cut the bar of cream cheese in half and add the halves to the skillet, stirring constantly.  Continue stirring until the mixture is smooth and combined, about 3 minutes.  Pour in the remaining half-and-half/cream mixture and stir to combine.  Add salt and pepper and stir.  Taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary.  (I also added seasoning salt.)  Do not undersalt!  Add the rosemary and green onions and stir to combine.

Finally, add 1/2 cup of the grated Parmesan cheese and stir to combine.  Pour the cream-soaked potatoes into the baking dish.  Pour the cream cheese mixture over the top.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese over the top.

Bake for at least one hour, or until golden brown and bubbly.  Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with the chives, then cut into squares to serve.  So yummy!  (So fattening!)

Orange and Raspberry Cake ~ by Molly

 Since I don't have an oven in Saarbrücken, I've been stockpiling recipes I find for a while. When I went home, I decided to try this one I had found on FoodNetwork.com for Grace's postponed birthday party. The frosting is DELICIOUS (but then again, when is frosting not delicious?)

Cake:

1 box white cake mix (Giada recommends Duncan Hines, but Betty Crocker worked just fine)

1 large orange, zested

1 1/3 cups no pulp orange juice (Mom bought the frozen kind, so I had to prepare it first)

3 egg whites

2 T oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans.

In an electric mixer, whisk cake mix and orange zest until well incorporated. Add orange juice, egg whites and oil.

Mix on low for about 30 seconds, then medium for two minutes, scraping the sides  occasionally.

Divide batter evenly and bake on the center rack for about 30 minutes, or until it passes the toothpick test.

Let cool for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack for about another hour.

Frosting:

1 stick unsalted butter, just under room temperature

1 brick cream cheese

1 bag powdered sugar

1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

Mix butter and cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar and mix until well blended. Add jam. If the frosting is too thick to spread, add water, one teaspoon at a time, until it's spreadable.

Assembly:

Place one cooled cake on a baking platter round side down. Spread on a thin layer of frosting. I now know that putting this in the freezer for about a half hour would have my life much easier. I went ahead and immediately spread on a thin layer of jam, which got messy with the the soft frosting beneath it.

Place the next layer on the cake. Again, I should have put this in the freezer for a little while to harden the frosting/jam in the center. I had issues keeping my top layer from shifting around and squeezing out the middle layer while I finished frosting it.

Frost the rest of the cake and store, covered, in the fridge. Allow to sit for about 30 minutes at room temp before serving.

Had I known better, I would have put this in the freezer until the frosting was solid before adding the next layer.

Miniature Cherry Cheesecakes ~ by Sarah

Wes doesn't like sweets (ridiculous, I know), but he does have a weakness for cherry cheesecake.  Since today is Valentine's Day, I'm cooking him a meat and potatoes meal (literally), but I wanted some sort of yummy dessert for him.  I found this recipe on Tasty Kitchen.  This is a website run by Pioneer Woman with recipes submitted by subscribers.  Audrey and I "tested" one after we made them today and they're delicious!  And so cute!

Ingredients:
FOR THE CRUST:
1 1/4 c. graham cracker crumbs (It takes about one whole package of crushed crackers to get this amount.  I put the crackers in a Ziploc bag, then rolled over them with a rolling pin to crush them.)
3 T. sugar
1/3 c. butter, melted

FOR THE CHEESECAKE:
16 oz. cream cheese
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 can (about 20 oz.) cherry topping (or any other fruit filling of your choice)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 1 1/2 muffin tins (18 spaces) with cupcake liners.  Mix graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter.  Press a spoonful into each cupcake liner and press firmly to the bottom.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until thick and creamy.  Spoon mixture onto graham cracker crust, filling about 3/4 full.  Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean.  The tops will round out and crack and that's when you know they're done.  (Note: It took mine another 10 minutes or so to cook after my 15-minute buzzer went off!)

Let them cool, then add cherry filling to the top.  These are best when served cold.

Ham, Cream Cheese, and Pickled Asparagus Roll-Ups ~ by Kelsey

Spread cream cheese on deli ham.  Put a pickled asparagus (grown in the Northwest, purchased at Costco) in the middle.  Roll them up.  DELICIOUS!

The Ultimate Cheesecake ~ by Molly

This is the cheesecake I made for Gavin's birthday last summer. It's one of my favorite recipes!

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence (Food Network)


Prep Time:
30 min
Inactive Prep Time:
4 hr 35 min
Cook Time:
45 min
Level:
Intermediate
Serves:
6 to 8 servings
Ingredients:
Crust:
• 2 cups finely ground graham crackers (about 30 squares)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
• 1 pound cream cheese, 2 (8-ounce) blocks, softened
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 pint sour cream
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 dash vanilla extract
• Warm Lemon Blueberry Topping, recipe follows
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl, combine the crust ingredients with a fork until evenly moistened. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the crumbs into the pan and, using the bottom of a measuring cup or the smooth bottom of a glass, press the crumbs down into the base and 1-inch up the sides. Refrigerate for 5 minutes.
For the Filling:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on low speed for 1 minute until smooth and free of any lumps. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to beat slowly until combined. Gradually add sugar and beat until creamy, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters. The batter should be well mixed but not over-beaten. Pour the filling into the crust-lined pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
Set the cheesecake pan on a large piece of aluminum foil and fold up the sides around it. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan; the foil will keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake. Bake for 45 minutes. The cheesecake should still jiggle (it will firm up after chilling), so be careful not to overcook. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for at least 4 hours. Loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula around the inside rim. Unmold and transfer to a cake plate. Using a spatula spread a layer of Warm Lemon Blueberry topping over the surface.
Slice the cheesecake with a thin, non-serrated knife that has been dipped in hot water. Wipe dry after each cut.

Warm Lemon Blueberries:
• 1 pint blueberries
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 tablespoons sugar
In a small saucepan add all the ingredients and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes or so until the fruit begins to break down slightly. Leave to cool before spreading on cheesecake.

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Icing ~ by Sarah

This is the recipe for the cake I made for Grandma Shirley's birthday. It came from my Pioneer Woman cookbook.  The frosting makes it very rich!

Cake:
1 cup shortening
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/4 t. salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 t. vanilla
1 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. vinegar
1 oz. red food coloring (2 oz. if you want it really red--I only used one, though)
1 1/2 t. cocoa powder

Icing:
1 1/2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 pounds powdered sugar
1/4 t. salt
2 t. pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease two round 10-inch cake pans (2 inches deep) with non-stick baking spray. Blend together the shortening and sugar in a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer. Set aside. Sift together the flour and salt. Set aside. Mix the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, baking soda, and vinegar in a separate bowl. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the shortening mixture in the mixing bowl, mixing after each addition. In a small bowl, mix the red food coloring and cocoa powder. Pour into the mixing bowl. Mix until just combined. Don't overbeat. Pour the batter evenly into the cake pans and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before removing the cakes from the pans. Cool completely before icing.

Icing: Place the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl and whip until smooth. Sift the powdered sugar and add it to the bowl. Add the salt and mix. Add the vanilla and mix until smooth.

Ice between the two cakes, the sides, and the top. (I had plenty of frosting left over.) Refrigerate any leftovers.