Parmesan Herbed Shrimp

    

Black bottom Cup-Cakes

Filling:

16-oz cream cheese, cool room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 large egg whites, room temperature
2 tbsp sour cream, room temperature
1/3 cup miniature or regular size chocolate chips

Cake:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Hershey’s Dark cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 18 muffin cups with paper liners. Beat the cream cheese, sugar and salt until smooth. Add the egg whites and stir or beat on low speed just until mixed; stir in the sour cream and chocolate chips. Set aside.

Mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl. In the actual mixing bowl, beat together the oil and sugar. You can do this with a whisk, spoon or hand-held mixer. Mix together the buttermilk and vanilla. Add the buttermilk/vanilla mixture and the flour alternately to the sugar/oil mixture. Stir until smooth – be careful not to overbeat.

Divide the chocolate batter evenly among the muffin tins. Spoon large tablespoonfuls of cream cheese batter over the chocolate batter. You should have some cream cheese batter leftover.

Bake on center rack for about 25 minutes. Let cool in cupcake pan for 30 minutes and then transfer to the refrigerator to chill.

-Grace

Parmesan Herbed Shrimp

    

2 tablespoons butter 
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined 
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese 
1/2 teaspoon  Parsley Flakes
2 tablespoons white wine
1 tablespoon  Perfect Pinch® Mediterranean Herb Seasoning

Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add shrimp; cook and stir 5 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink.
Stir in wine, Seasoning, Parmesan cheese and parsley until shrimp are well coated. Serve with cooked rice and garnish with lemon wedges, if desired.

Note: If you do not cook with wine, use low sodium chicken stock.

-Grace

Watermelon Frosty

serves 2
2 1/4 cups frozen watermelon cubes
1/2+ cup water
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 large lemon, squeezed (lime juice also works very well! use 2 limes)
1 fresh banana

Blend And Garnish with frozen watermelon/rind slices. Serve! Enjoy.

-Grace

Sour Cream Enchiladas

   

Ingredients
 16 oz.  sour cream
 1 can  cream of chicken soup
 1 tbls. fresh chopped cilantro (1/2 tbls. dried)
 2 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
 1 can Mexican Rotel
 1 cup chopped onions (optional)
 8  tortillas
 1 cup shredded pepper jack and colby cheese blend
 1 can diced green chiles (opional)

Directions
In a saucepan, mix together sour cream, soup and cilantro. Heat through and set aside.
This is will get to the bubble up/boil stage quickly and make a huge hot mess if you don't keep stirring. I learned the hard way.
Twice.
Combine the chicken, rotel, onions and green chiles in a pan sprayed with cooking spray. Heat until onions are transparent. Or if you omit onions like I have done, for a few minutes to blend the flavors and juices.
Warm the tortillas until flexible. (I microwave them for 10 seconds sandwiched between two damp paper towels.)
Fill each tortilla with about 2 tbls. of the chicken mixture.
Top with about 1/2-1 tablespoon of cheese (or a medium sized pinch if you measure like I do)
Roll the tortilla up and place seam side down (or they will unravel and you will be annoyed.) in a 8x11 dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Pour/Spread the sour cream sauce over enchiladas
Top with the remaining cheese
Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted.

-Grace    ( Sorry i havent posted in a while. the computer has been broke)

Apple-Caramel Sunday

   

Hollow out apples and bake with cinnamon and sugar inside. After it's done baking, fill with ice cream and caramel!

-Grace

Strawberries and Cream Frappe

  

Ingredients
2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
2/3 cup strawberries, frozen
1 tsp, vanilla extract
sweetener to taste

Instructions
In a blender add coconut milk, vanilla extract, frozen strawberries and sweetener. Crush/blend until incorporated about 2 minutes.

Serve immediately. 

-Grace

Healthy Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwich

 

--Ingredients--
-gram crackers
-cool whip
-strawberries

Directions
1. Blend cool whip and strawberries
2. Apply a thick coat to gram crackers and make sandwich
3. Freeze, and enjoy!

Baked Portobello Parmesan

  

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
1 cup (3-oz.) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided use
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 cup fresh minced parsley, divided use
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided use
3/4 cup egg substitute
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon marjoram leaves
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano leaves
4 large (5 to 6-inches wide) stemmed potobello mushrooms, brushed clean
1-1/2 cups (6-oz.) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup commercially prepared "light" tomato sauce

Cooking spray
Directions:
1) Position a baking rack in upper third of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 17-1/2 x 11-3/4 baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a 16-1/2 x 11-1/2-inch wire cooling rack inside the baking sheet. Mist rack with cooking spray. Set aside.
2) Combine bread crumbs, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 3 tablespoons parsley, paprika and 1 teaspoon salt in a shallow pan. Mix well. Set aside.
3) In a separate bowl, combine egg substitute, remaining 1 teaspoon salt. pepper, marjoram, garlic powder and oregano. Mix well.
4) Dip both sides of mushrooms into egg mixture. Dredge in crumb mixture until both sides are completely coated. Transfer, stem side down, to prepared wire rack. Spray tops with cooking spray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender. Remove pan form oven

5) Reset oven thermostat to 450 degrees F. Meanwhile, carefully turn mushrooms stem side up. Cover each mushroom with 2 tablespoons of remaining Parmesan cheese, 1/4 of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup tomato sauce. Spray tops lightly. Return to oven and bake until cheese melts and mushrooms are warmed through, about 10 minutes. Use a wide spatula to transfer mushrooms to a serving platter. Sprinkle with reserved 1 tablespoon parsley. Yield: 4 servings.

-Grace

Bacon And Tomato pasta

   

2 tablespoons kosher salt, for pasta water
12 ounces spaghetti pasta
1 pound thick-cut bacon, chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup red onion, diced
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 cups Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
½ cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
¼ cup shaved Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a large stock pot, boil 3 quarts of water, when boiling add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and the pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, add bacon and saute until bacon is crispy. Remove bacon to drain on a paper towel-lined plate and remove bacon fat from the pan. Add extra-virgin olive oil, onions, and red chili flakes. Cook until onions are translucent, add garlic, cook for 2 minutes then add tomatoes. Saute for 5 minutes, then deglaze with chicken broth.

Drain pasta and add to the tomato mixture pan. Add parsley and cooked bacon. Toss with grated Parmesan, and add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with shaved Parmesan.

-Grace

Ultimate Frozen Mud Pie Dessert

3/4 cup chocolate cookie crumbs 
2 tablespoons sugar 
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted 
1/2 cup caramel topping
2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
1 1/4 cups frozen (thawed) fat-free whipped topping
1 pint (2 cups) coffee-flavored frozen yogurt (or any kind of frozen yogurt of your choice)

Remove frozen yogurt from freezer to soften. Spray 8-inch square pan with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix cookie crumbs and sugar. Stir in butter until crumbly and well blended. Press in pan. Freeze about 10 minutes or until set.

Spread slightly softened yogurt evenly over crust. Freeze about 1 hour or until firm. In small bowl, mix caramel topping and pecans. To serve, top each serving with generous 2 tablespoons whipped topping. Carefully pour 1 tablespoon caramel mixture over top.

NOTES: Chocolate cookie crumbs can be purchased in a 15-ounce box in the baking aisle of your grocery store.

Any flavor of frozen yogurt can be used in this dessert.


-Grace

Frozen Mango, Kiwi, Raspberry Pops

Ingredients:

9 tbsp water
2 tbsp sugar
5 oz kiwi, peeled
6 oz mango, peeled
6 oz fresh raspberries

Directions:

Make a simple syrup by combining water and sugar in a small pot and bring to a boil; boil for about 4-5 minutes on medium heat. Set aside.

Puree fruit separately in the blender (I used my magic bullet). Set aside in 3 small bowls.

Divide the simple syrup between the fruit purees and mix in.

Equally fill four small 5 oz cups with the kiwi puree and place in the freezer; freeze one hour.

Add mango puree and freeze 20 minutes. Insert sticks and freeze at least 2 hours. Add raspberry puree and freeze overnight.

Serves 4 

-Grace

Mini Cherry Cheesecake

3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbsp  butter, melted
1 cups cream cheese
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cups  fruit pie filling, cherry

Instructions

Place 12 cupcake liners in a cupcake pan.
Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a small bowl, combine graham cracker
crumbs and butter; mix well. Spoon 1
tablespoon of crumb mixture into bottom of
each liner and press down gently; refrigerate
until ready to use.

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer,
beat  cream cheese until fluffy.

Add lemon juice, egg whites, vanilla extract
and sugar; beat until smooth.

Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly into
muffin liners; bake until set, about 15
minutes. Remove from oven and allow to
cool.

Top each cheesecake with 1 tablespoon
cherry pie filling.

-Grace

Oven Baked Tacos

Ingredients
2 lb ground beef
1 can refried beans
1 can of tomato sauce
1 packet taco seasoning
1 oz shredded cheese
12 tortillas/taco shells

Directions
Start with the taco shells, buy them in the store or make em yourself. If you make them yourself, I don’t think you will ever go back to purchasing taco shells. All you need is some tortillas and cooking spray. We used some small, soft “taco” tortillas. We used the flour kind but corn is fine too.

First you want to steam them… Wet some paper towels and wring them out well. Layer the tortillas with the wet paper towels on a plate and then microwave (we did 6 at a time). Keep an eye on them, it should be about 30 seconds until they are steamed. Then lightly spray each side with cooking spray and drape each tortilla over two bars of the oven rack. It is wise to put a baking sheet below them to catch any oil from the cooking spray. Bake at 350-375 degrees for 7-10 minutes. You will be able to tell that they are browning & getting crispy. Take them out and set them aside!

Okay, now for the filling All you need is ground been (2 pounds), 1 can of refried beans, 1 can of tomato sauce, 1 packet of taco seasoning, shredded cheese, & your favorite taco toppings.

Okay, now for the filling All you need is ground been (2 pounds), 1 can of refried beans, 1 can of tomato sauce, 1 packet of taco seasoning, shredded cheese, & your favorite taco toppings.

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet. COMPLETELY drain all grease and return to skillet. Over low heat, add refried beans, taco seasoning, and about half to two-thirds of the tomato sauce (you can eye this to see whats best, you don’t want the filling to be too runny or your tacos will be soggy on the bottoms). Blend well and scoop into the tacos (which should be “standing” in a lightly greased casserole type dish). Then just sprinkle the cheese over the top and bake. I think I did my at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes.


-Grace

Fresh Fruit Frappé

INGREDIENTS
1 cup cut-up cantaloupe or honeydew melon
1 cup cut-up pineapple
1 cup cut-up mango
1 cup strawberry halves
1 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons sugar
Crushed ice

Mix all ingredients except ice and sliced pineapple. Fill blender one-half full with fruit mixture; add crushed ice to fill to top. Cover and blend on high speed about 30 seconds until smooth. Repeat with remaining fruit mixture. Garnish with sliced pineapple. Serve immediately.

-Grace

Frozen Yogurt Cupcakes

9 ounces vanilla Greek yogurt
8 strawberries Puree the strawberries and banana. 
Half a ripe banana
1 teaspoon mini chocolate chips ( for lower carb use semi sweet chips)

DIRECTIONS

Place 12 mini silicone baking cups on the top of an ice cream tray or small wooden cutting board.
Fill each of the cups halfway with yogurt, using one six-ounce container.

Puree the strawberries and banana. Add a small spoonful to each cup, so no white is showing.
Add a dollop of yogurt to each cup using the last three ounces of yogurt. Sprinkle a few mini chocolate chips on top of each cup. Gently place the tray in the freezer for at least an hour.
Remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for 10 minutes before eating.

-Grace

Watermelon Breeze

3 cups cubed chilled watermelon
1 cup coconut water
squeeze of fresh lime

Ice if needed
Sprig of mint

Put all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth.
Makes two servings.

-Grace

Kitchen Sink Marshmallow Poke Brownies

   

1/2 cup (1 Stick) butter, melted
1 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/3 Cup HERSHEY'S Dark Chocolate Cocoa
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 cup marshmallow fluff
1 heaping tablespoon creamy peanut butter.
1/4 cup of chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanut butter chips
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 9 pan with foil. Stir together melted butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl. 
Add eggs; beat well with spoon. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to mixture, beating until well blended. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.

In a small microwave safe bowl mix marshmallow fluff and peanut butter on medium heat for about 20-30 seconds and mix well. Spread marshmallow/peanut butter mixture onto top of brownie batter and swirl with a fork over the entire top. Sprinkle Chips and nut topping over the top of batter. Bake 25-30 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let the brownies cool. Prepare the "poke" filling while they cool.

Marshmallow Poke filling/topping:
3 Tablespoon milk
1/2 cup of Marshmallow fluff
3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Mix the milk and Marshmallow fluff in a small bowl and microwave until it is melted, add white chocolate chips and mix until melted. Poke holes all over the top of your cooled brownies and pour some of the mixture onto the top, you will have some leftover, this is fine, you will use this later as a final topping.

-Grace

Burrito Casserole~

   

Ingredients
1 lb Pastime's Grass fed ground beef
1 (1 1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning
6 large flour tortillas
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
2 -3 cups shredded taco cheese or 2 -3 cups cheddar cheese
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
4 ounces sour cream

Instructions

1 Cook ground meat
2 Add taco seasoning and stir in refried beans.
3 Mix soup and sour cream in a separate bowl.
4 Spread 1/2 sour cream mixture in the bottom of a casserole dish.
5 Tear up 3 tortillas and spread over sour cream mixture.
6 Put 1/2 the meat bean mixture over that.
7 Add a layer of cheese.
9 Repeat the layers.
10 Sprinkle cheese over the top and bake, uncovered, at 350°F for 20-30 minutes.

-Grace

Crème Horns

  

1 package (2 sheets) Puff Pastry dough, thawed
Powdered Sugar
8 oz tub of Cool Whip
4 oz cream cheese, softened at room temperature
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice

Preheat the Oven to 400 degrees. Unfold one thawed puff pastry sheet. Keep the second sheet refrigerated. Using pizza cutter, slice the sheet in to 30 even strips. (6”x1” for small ones). Roll each strip out until it is about 2.5 times in length, than wrap the dough around the mold, pushing the dough down to seal it as you go. 

Place the rolled mold on a baking sheet, with the end side down & bake at 400 degrees for 12 min until golden brown. Might need to bake few batches. Cool the horns to room temperature, than pipe in the cream. For the cream, beat together 4oz cream cheese and 3 tbsp of sugar for 1 minute on medium speed until well blended. Add 2 tbsp of lemon juice and mix until blended. Fold in 8oz of cool whip until smooth and fluffy. Fill the pastry bag with cream & pipe it in to each cream horn to the top. Dust with powder sugar and enjoy!

-Grace

Inside-out Caramel Apples

Slice apples into two halves, core Seeds , then place your apple halves into a cupcake holder to keep them steady. Melt caramel in a double boiler and pour to fill the halves. When the caramel has fully cooled and solidified, cut your caramel filled apples into the usual slices!

-Grace

Our Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:
3 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 medium onion, sliced and separated into rings
3 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 teaspoons salt
1 pepper
1/4 cup oil

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Toss well to mix.
3. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

-Grace

Garlic Chicken

1 chicken From Pastimes Farm & Bakery

4 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
additional herbs and spices, as desired

Saute the Minced Garlic with the Olive Oil until soft, then remove from heat and stir in the Brown Sugar.

Pour that mix over the Chicken and Bake (uncovered) for 15-20 minutes at 450 

-Grace

Strawberry Punch

1 can (46 ounces) pineapple juice, chilled
2-1/4 cups water
3/4 cup thawed pink lemonade concentrate
3/4 cup sugar
1 quart strawberry ice cream
2-1/2 quarts ginger ale, chilled



Directions
In a punch bowl, combine the first four ingredients. Add ice cream; stir gently. Add ginger ale; stir gently. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 quarts.



-Grace

Lemony Lemon Brownies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup flour
2 eggs, large
2 tbsps lemon zest
2 tbsps lemon juice
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

For the tart lemon glaze:
4 tbsps lemon juice
8 tsps lemon zest
1 cup icing sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish with butter and set aside.
3. Zest and juice two lemons and set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the flour, sugar, salt, and softened butter until combined.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice until combined.
6. Pour it into the flour mixture and beat for 2 mins at medium speed until smooth and creamy.
7. Pour into baking dish and bake for 23-25 mins, should turn golden around the edges.
8. Allow to cool completely before glazing. Do not overbake, or the bars will dry.
9. Filter the powdered sugar and whisk with lemon zest and juice.
10. Spread the glaze over the brownies with a rubber spatula and let glaze set.
11. Cut into bars and serve.


-Grace

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Truffles

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 lb powdered sugar
1 cup peanut butter
10-12 graham cracker sheets (I just used one whole "sleeve" of graham crackers and didn't actually count how many were in there (approximately 10-12 whole crackers)
dipping chocolate, melted

Put graham crackers in a food processor or plastic bag and beat until they are finely crushed. Mix butter, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and graham crackers together in large bowl. Roll into 1" balls. Place rolled balls on large cookie sheet (I lined my cookie sheet with parchment paper) and stick in the freezer for about 20 minutes

In the meantime, melt dipping chocolate. Once the peanut butter balls have set up, dip in chocolate and place back on cookie sheet. Let set up before serving.

Makes 6-7 dozen truffles. 


-Grace

Taco Dip Jars

1/2 lb Pastimes Bakery ground beef 

1/3 cup water

2 tablespoons  taco seasoning mix (from 1-oz package)

1 can (16 oz)  refried beans

1 container (8 oz) sour cream

2 packages (7 oz each) refrigerated guacamole

1 container (16 oz) refrigerated salsa

1 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)

(optional)

Jalapeño and red Fresno chiles, very thinly sliced, 

Fresh cilantro leaves, 

Tortilla chips, 

`

In 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in water and taco seasoning mix. Heat to simmering; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in refried beans.

In 6 (8-oz) wide-mouth glass jars, evenly layer beef mixture, sour cream, guacamole and salsa. Sprinkle with cheese. Garnish with chile slices and cilantro. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

-Grace