Easy raspberry or chocolate swirl cheesecake

Cheesecakes are impressive. If I see one at a covered dish, I always think, "wow; someone went all out for this meal!" They can be somewhat intimidating, but I recently learned that I could make a really good one with very little effort. I couldn't decide between the chocolate swirl and the raspberry swirl, so I did half and half. Believe it or not, we preferred the raspberry side because the cake is so rich and sweet that the tangy raspberry flavor was the perfect compliment. But the chocolate was definitely delicious as well :) Give it a try; you won't be disappointed!

(Warning: this is not one of my "healthier" recipes, in case you had any doubts... I want to try it with honey instead of sugar, but haven't had the nerve. I suppose these homemade graham crackers would work for a healthier crust, though :)

Ingredients:
2 pkg (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 graham cracker crust -- you can use an pre-made one, but the home-made kind is pretty simple as well and looks more impressive :)
3 Tbs. fruit preserves or 1 square Baker's semi-sweet chocolate, melted, slightly cooled

Directions: Mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs; mix until blended. Pour into crust. Dot top of cheesecake with preserves or melted chocolate. Cut through batter with knife several times for marbled effect. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

Recipe found in the Philadelphia Cream Cheese Collection

Awesome Hummus

I was craving hummus this week and remembered that my friend, Melissa, had sent me this recipe that she said her family just loved. I doubled it and took some to a cook-out this weekend and everyone loved it and was asking me for the recipe. I used an extra garlic clove because fresh garlic is so good for you and adds so much flavor. All the adults loved it, but the extra kick was a little too spicy for my little ones. I also used my basic oil blend instead of just olive oil, and I think that the faint sweetness of the coconut oil was a nice contrast to the strong garlic flavor.

Total time: 5 minutes, Makes 1.5 cups
1 15 oz. can chickpeas ( garbanzo beans), rinsed
1 clove garlic
1/4 c olive oil, plus more for serving
2 TB fresh lemon juice (fresh makes a difference.)
2 TB tahini
1 t ground cumin
kosher salt
1/4 t paprika

>> In a food processor, puree the chickpeas and garlic with the olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, cumin, and 3/4 teaspoon salt until smooth and creamy. Add 1-3 TB water as necessary to achieve the desired consistency.

>> Transfer to a bowl , drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika before serving.

This post is part of the Real Food Progressive Dinner! and Kelly's Korner SUYL

Mom's Mouth-Watering Orange Blossom Bites

These are super sweet and tangy and definitely one of my favorite Christmas treats! But I'll warn you, they aren't particularly healthy :)

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1 1/3 cup sugar

½ cup water

1 ½ cup flour

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

Sauce Ingredients (Double this recipe)
1 ½ lb powdered sugar
juice of 2 lemons
juice of 2 oranges
rind of 1 lemon
rind of 1 orange

Directions: Mix sugar and eggs first, then remaining ingredients. Bake in small buttered mini muffin tins @ 350 for 8 – 10 mins. Dip in sauce while hot. Place on wax paper.

*Double the sauce recipe in order to have plenty!

This post is part of Kelly's SUYL desserts! Click on over for more yummy desserts!

Cranberry Orange Dip (in a little crockpot)

I love the combo of cranberry and orange and this is pretty healthy, too, since it doesn't have refined sugar in it :) You can reduce the amount of orange zest if you think its too tangy, but I love it! I found it on this website

Ingredients:

--8 oz cream cheese
--2/3 cup shredded swiss cheese
--2 T apple juice
--1/2 tsp orange zest
--1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries

The Directions.

Plug in your Little Dipper to get it started warming up. Shove the block of cream cheese down into it. You may need to squish it in with a spoon. I promise it will fit. Shred the swiss, and add it. Grate the orange and add the zest. Add the apple juice. Cover and let it cook for 45 minutes to an hour. When the cream and swiss cheese have fully melted, stir in the dried cranberries.

Serve with your favorite crackers or apple slices.

Smoky Bacon Wraps

These are not the least bit healthy (ha, ha) but are always a hit at parties, especially with the fellows :) And they are easy!

Ingredients:
1 pound sliced bacon
1 pkg. miniature smoked sausage links
1 cup brown sugar (maple syrup works as well :)

Directions: Cut each bacon strip in half widthwise. Wrap one piece of bacon around each sausage. Place in a foil-lined 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar (or maple syrup). Bake, uncovered, @ 400 for 30-40 minutes til bacon is crisp and sausage is heated through.

This post is a part of KK's SUYL breakfasts!

Donna's Pineapple cheese ball

I love this!

Ingredients:
2 pkg. cream cheese, softened
big can crushed pineapple, drained
1 Tbs minced onion
sprinkles of seasoned salt
crushed nuts

Directions: Mix first 4 ingredients; roll in crushed nuts

Gigi's Peanut Butter Rolls!

Since its getting close to Christmas, I thought I should post some of my grandmother's awesome candy recipes. This was my favorite growing up :)

Ingredients:

2 lbs. Confectionary sugar

3 Tbs. butter, softened

14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk

1 Tbs. vanilla flavoring

Small can of peanut butter

Extra confectionary sugar for rolling out dough

Directions: In a large, bowl, mix together sugar, butter, condensed milk, and flavoring. (Mixture will be very thick and needs to be worked with hands.) Roll out on board sprinkled with confectionary sugar. Spread peanut butter on and roll up like a jelly roll. Freeze for an hour and then slice. Keep chilled in fridge until ready to serve.

Hawaiin Turtle Cups

Even though I try really hard to mainly cook healthy food, I do make some exceptions for the holidays :) And I absolutely love to find candy recipes different from what everyone else is bringing to the parties! My husband loves macadamia nuts, so I thought these were a great idea:) I will probably grease the pans with coconut oil, because I think the flavor will mix nicely. I got the recipe from Simple and Delicious magazine.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups vanilla or white chips
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped
18 caramels
2 tsp. heavy whipping cream
12 dried pineapple pieces, chopped

Directions: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt vanilla chips; stir until smooth. Pour by teaspoonfuls into greased miniature muffin cups; set aside the remaining melted chips. Sprinkle the center of each muffin cup with nuts. In another micro-safe bowl, melt caramels and cream; stir until smooth. Pour over nuts Reheat reserved chips if necessary; pour over caramel mixture. Top each with pineapple. Chill for 30 min. or until set. Carefully run a knife around the edge of each muffin cup to loosen candy.

Melanie's Delicious Pumpkin Dump Cake

My sis-in-law made this one Thanksgiving and I just couldn't stop eating it! So yummy and super easy, too!

Ingredients:

1 30 oz can pumpkin pie filling

1 ½ cup granulated sugar

3 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

3 large eggs

1 12 oz. Box yellow cake mix

1 cup chopped pecans, if desired

¾ cup melted butter

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first 6 ingredients until smooth and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle cake mix over pumpkin batter and then cover with the chopped pecans. Drizzle melted butter over the top and then bake for 45-50 minutes. Refrigerate until completely cold and then serve with French Vanilla Cool Whip.

Mom's Crazy Rich Toffee Caramel Bars

These are incredibly rich but are always a hit at get-togethers :)

Ingredients:

1 pkg white or yellow cake mix

2 eggs

1 cup white choc chips

½ cup butter

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup oil 1 pkg choc chips
3 choc- covered toffee candy bars, cut into pieces
32 caramels, unwrapped

Directions: Heat oven to 350. Grease 13x9 inch pan. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil, and eggs; blend well. Stir in chocolate chips, white chips, and cany bar pieces. (Mixture will be thick). Press half of mixture in bottom of greased pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in med. Saucepan, combine butter, caramels, and condensed milk. Cook over medium-low heat until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth, stirring occasionally. Slowly pour caramel mixture over partially baked crust. Top with remaining cake mixture. Return to oven; bake and additional 25-30 minutes or until top is set and edges are a deep golden brown. Cool 20 minutes; run knife around sides of pan to loosen bars. Cool 40 min. Refrigerate 1 hour. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

This post is part of Kelly's SUYL desserts!

"Can't Leave Alone Bars"

In college, these were my trademark bars that my friends always asked me to make :) If you like rich chocolate, these will hit the spot! No, I didn't come up with the name; I got the recipe out of a Quick Cooking magazine :)

Ingredients:

1 pkg. white cake mix

2 eggs

1/3-cup vegetable oil

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1-cup semisweet chocolate chips

¼ butter/mar, cubed

Directions: Combine dry cake mix, eggs, and oil in bowl, press 2/3 of mixture into (greased) pan. Set other 1/3 of mixture aside for topping. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine milk, chocolate chips, and butter; microwave till melted (probably 1 ½ minutes, stirring ½ way through). Pour choc. mixture over crust. Drop tsp. of remaining cake mixture over top. Bake at 350 for 20-25 min until lightly browned on top.

This post is part of Kelly's SUYL desserts!

Easiest Better Than Anything Cake

If you are looking for a no-fail, super easy, utterly rich and delicious cake, here it is :) I only make this cake when I am taking it to a party or potluck or I will make myself sick eating so much of it. It is chocolate gooeyness at it best! :)

Ingredients:

Chocolate or German chocolate cake mix

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Caramel and/or chocolate ice cream topping

I carton cool whip

4 butter finger bars or other favorite candy bars

Directions: Bake cake in 9x13 pan according to directions. Poke holes in cake with a straw or fork. Pour condensed milk and caramel and chocolate sauces over top while cake is still warm. Use about ¾ of each bottle. Wait til cake cools. Spread cool whip on top. Crumble candy bars on top.

This post is part of Kelly's SUYL desserts!

My favorite chicken salad

Ever since getting the perfect chicken salad at the Fresh Market, I've been looking online for a similar recipe. I found this at www.cooks.com. While I can't say they match up exactly, this recipe is by far the best I've made myself! We used crushed almonds instead of pecans because that is what I happened to have in the pantry and it was yummy :)

Ingredients:

4 c. cubed, cooked chicken
1 1/2 c. green seedless grapes
1 c. pecan pieces
1/2 c. mayonnaise or creamy salad dressing
1/4 c. sour cream
2 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. poppy seeds
White or black pepper, to taste
Lettuce leaves

Directions: Combine chicken, grapes and pecans in large bowl; set aside. Stir mayonnaise, sour cream, honey, poppy seeds and pepper in small bowl to blend well; add to chicken mixture. Toss well to coat. If desired serve salad on lettuce leaves.

Lynne's Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Something Mark just can't get enough of and I love it, too. Better than what you get at a restaurant :) We don't put the tabasco sauce in because we aren't spicy people but a lot of people love it :) You can also make it ahead of time and freeze it!

Ingredients:

1 stick margarine

1 med. Onion (1 cup chopped)

2 (10 oz) pkgs frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained

1 (14oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (not marinated)

1 (8 oz) cream cheese

1 (8oz) sour cream

1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

salt to taste

2 Tbs Tabasco sauce if you want it spicy J.

Directions: Melt margarine in a large saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in spinach, artichokes, cream cheese, sour cream, ¾ cup Monterey Jack cheese, ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, Tabasco sauce (if desired), and salt. Stir until well blended and heated through. Pour mixture into a baking dish and top with remaining cheeses. Bake at 350 until cheese starts to brown. Approx. 15 min. serve warm with chips, crackers, etc.

Lynne's Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

Oh, so yummy!

Ingredients:

3 (8oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 cup confectioners sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 ½ cups mini chocolate chips

chopped pecans if desired

Directions: Blend cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, and cinnamon with mixer. Add mini chocolate chips. Chill. Roll in chocolate chips and pecans if desired. Serve with graham crackers, cookies, or Ritz

Emily's Ranch Snack Crackers

These are my husband's favorites and he will even make them himself if I put the ingredients out on the counter for him :) They are addictive, though, I warn you! They do get stale after a couple of days if you do not store in an airtight tupperware or freezer safe ziplock bag.

Ingredients:

2 pkg plain oyster crackers

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch mix

¼ tsp. lemon pepper

½ tsp dill weed

¼ tsp garlic powder

¾ cup salad oil

Directions: Combine ingredients in bowl, pour over crackers and stir to coat. Place in long baking dish in warm oven (300) for 15-20 minutes. Stir once or twice during cooking.

Lynne's Party Meatballs

These freeze well, so I make tons at the same time :) We love to eat it over brown rice or quinoa. Its also a great thing to take to a covered dish :)

Ingredients:
2 lb. Ground beef
3 slices bread in crumbs
½ cup milk
¼ cup finely chopped onions
2 eggs
1 ½ tsp. salt

Sauce ingredients:
1 ½ cup ketchup
6 TBS. butter
6 Tbs. brown sugar
3 Tbs. vinegar
6 Tbs. water

Directions for Meatballs: Mix together and shape into 1-inch balls. Bake on cookie sheet 25-30 minutes at 375.
Directions for sauce: Mix ingredients together, simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Add meatballs to this mixture and heat thoroughly

Brandi's Creamy Sausage Rotelle Dip

My friend Brandi Miller makes this for game nights regularly and we just can't get enough of it! Its a fun dip because you can make it as spicy as you want. Mark and I are not big spicy people so we use maple sausage and mild rotelle, but we have friends who love the super hot sausage and rotelle :) I also like to use 1 1/2 pkgs of cream cheese to make it creamier :)

Ingredients:

1 pkg cream cheese (If you like really creamy, use 2 pkgs :)

1lb sausage

1 can rotelle tomotoes

Directions: Mix together in crockpot and serve when hot

Lynne's Incredible Ham Biscuits

These are the most incredible ham biscuits I've ever eaten in my life! Mark didn't even have to beg me to get this recipe from his Mom because I'd already stolen it :) Perfect for showers and covered dishes! I usually make a bunch and freeze in smaller portions so that we can have them for breakfast whenever anyone is staying with us :)

Ingredients:
About 40 party rolls or biscuits
1 ½ lb ham, sliced
1 lb Swiss cheese
Special Spread:
1 stick margarine, softened
4 tsp. minced onion
3 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 tsp poppy seed
3 tsp. dry mustard
Directions: Mix special spread and let sit for about 15-20 mins. Slice rolls/biscuits and fill with ham and cheese. Spread approximately 1 tsp. of mixture on top of each biscuit. Stir each time. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees. (Can make ahead of time and wrap in foil and refrigerate till needed)

This recipe is a part of Kelly's Korner SUYL appetizers!

Lynne's Coffee Punch

I don't like coffee, but this punch is incredible and I can't help but keep going back for more! Great for parties.

Ingredients:
16 cups water
2 large Tbs. instant coffee
2 cups sugar
1 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
16 oz. Cool whip

Directions: Boil the water, coffee, and sugar together and let cool in refrigerator overnight or for several hours. Put ice cream and cool whip in punch bowl and pour in chilled mixture of coffee.
*Half this recipe if just for family gatherings