What I am makin this Holiday..

I have been trying to figure out a few good recipes to make this year to give out to family, friends and teachers. Let me first say none of these are mine (the pictures are mine ) so I will just link to the the recipes original home. Here we go...

Pumpkin Apple Bread


Gingerbread Whoopie Pies
(on this one I left off the peppermint candies but they were still really good

Magic Rainbow Cookie Bars

This post is linked up at Tempt My Tummy Tuesday & Tasty Tuesday

July Cheesecake of the Month

Red, White, and Blueberry Cheesecake

2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/3 c. blueberry pie filling, pureed
1 can. strawberry pie filling, pureed
blue food coloring

1. Beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.
   
2. Add eggs , 1 at a time.
3. Separate approx. 1/2 of cream cheese filling to small bowl. Add pureed blueberry pie filling and mix well. Then blue food coloring until you get a shade of blue you like, I used 3 or 4 drops.
4. Spread blueberry cream cheese mixture into bottom of pie crust.
   
5. Carefully spread remaining original cream cheese mixture on top of blue layer (make sure to rinse or change spatulas)
6. Bake 35 to 40 mins. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours to overnight.
   
7. Before serving spread pureed strawberry filling over top of chilled cheesecake. (I blended the filling because I simply do not like chunks of fruit but feel free spread strawberry pie filling straight from the can onto cheesecake if you prefer whole fruit, the presentation will probably look nicer. )
   

*Sorry about the picture but this was the only piece left after I dropped the cheesecake off at my families, I almost didn't get a picture :)

Recipe submitted at Recipe Swap Monday over at Our Chaotic Life, Mouthwatering Monday over at A Southern Fairytale, Homemaker Monday over at 11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday , Tasty Tuesday

June Cheesecake of The Month!!!

Chocolate Chip Coffee Cheesecake

(oh yes two of my favorite things in the world chocolate & coffee)

2 (8oz) packages of cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 instant coffee packet

1 (6 oz) oreo cookie pie crust

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Dissolve instant coffee in 1/3 c. hot water, place in fridge or freezer and cool to room temperature.


2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs on at a time and coffee; mix until blended


3. Spread 1/4 cup chocolate chips into bottom of pie crust.
   


4. Pour cream cheese mixture over chocolate chips.
   


5. Melt remaining 1/4 c. chocolate chips in microwave-safe bowl until melted. Pour into cheesecake mixture and swirl with end of a knife until a 'marble' effect appears.


6. Bake 35-40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely on wire rack. Refrigerate at least 3 hours but best if it can chill over night. :)
   

Recipe submitted at Recipe Swap Monday over at Our Chaotic Life, Mouthwatering Monday over at A Southern Fairytale, Homemaker Monday over at 11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday , Tasty Tuesday

Stuffed Bell Peppers

It's that time again to exchange recipes, tips and all that good stuff for more Recipe Swap Mondays head over to Our Chaotic Life and for more Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays head on over to Blessed With Grace

Stuffed Bell Peppers

1 lb. ground beef 1 c. chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed 2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt ½ tsp. pepper
8 oz. tomato soup 8 oz. tomato sauce
8 lg. bell peppers, tops cut off and seeded
1 ½ c. cooked rice 1 tsp. sugar
½ c. shredded cheese

-Cook meat, onion, garlic until done. Drain.
-Add seasonings, tomato soup and tomato sauce. Simmer covered 10 min. Stir in rice Cool.
-Cook peppers in boiling, salted water and 1 tsp. sugar until they are tender. Drain. Add cheese to meat and rice mixture, stuff and back just until bubbly in 350 degree oven.

While your here stay awhile and check out some of the great giveaways I have going on, to check them out click here...

Recipe Swap Monday 6/1

So I was going to use my stuffed bell pepper recipe but when I sat down I had developed a sweet tooth and so I borrowed a from the wonderful Paula Deen a recipe that I have made countless times.


Gorilla Bread

Serves:
12 to 14 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

2 (12-ounce) cans refrigerated biscuits (10 count)

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon. In a saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over low heat, stirring well; set aside. Cut the cream cheese into 20 equal cubes. Press the biscuits out with your fingers and sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon sugar. Place a cube of cream cheese in the center of each biscuit, wrapping and sealing the dough around the cream cheese. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the nuts into the bottom of the bundt pan. Place half of the prepared biscuits in the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, pour half of the melted butter mixture over the biscuits, and sprinkle on 1/2 cup of nuts. Layer the remaining biscuits on top, sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar, pour the remaining butter mixture over the biscuits, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of nuts. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Place a plate on top and invert.




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For more great recipes check out Our Chaotic Life.

The Goodies I found today..

So I took a trip to Trader Joe's today and I can always find something new there to try so these are the wonderful items I picked up today.

I got the pita cracker to go with my White Bean Hummus ( I like hummus just don't care for the chickpeas so I swapped out white beans for the chickpeas. It's really good I think I will post a couple different variations of my White Beans Hummus this week.)

So do you shop at Trader Joe's? If so, what are your favorite things to get?

Souplantation Review

I like food, and I equally like talking about food. Me and my good friend Trina whos page you can check out over at Mother of Twins have started (without planning it, it just happened this way) to take monthly lunch outings with just us, no kids, or significant others. Yesterday was our second lunch date and we have so far been trying out places that either one or both of us hadn't visited. So I figured I would add another element to my foodish ways blog by adding a monthly Restraraunt Reviews so every month unless something comes up (which stuff frequently does I will try and post another review) So bare with me this is my first one and I am open to suggestions on what you would want to know about a restrauant so if i am leaving key elements out please let me know. So without further ado: May Review goes to... Souplantation which I noticed is also known as Sweet Tomatoes in other states.




I have to say I was really skeptical, I checked out the website before we went and I called up Trina and said "You know they only sell soups and salads." I just couldn't see a place that didn't at least have a sandwich option really being my cup of tea, but shame on me for jumping to assumptions. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised when we finally arrived. To start it is a buffet style restaraunt so you pay a flat fee of about $9.00 per person and then you can have your fill of salad and a variety of soup and baked good choices. I tried my best for research sake to try as many as the items as I could ;). Since it was a buffet I just went ahead and grabbed the Souplantation lunch menu from today edited out the items they didn't have or I didn't try and then I will rate each item 1-5 1= being wouldn't try it again 5= Can't get enough keep it coming and (E )will denote the items I tried and ( T ) the ones Trina tried

Tossed Salads:

Caesar Salad Asiago (Non-Vegetarian) 3 - (T) didnt really care for their dressing
Won Ton Chicken Happiness 4- (T) thought it was very good, but 1 serving was enough


Prepared Salads:

German Potato Joan's Broccoli Madness (Non-Vegetarian) 1 - (T) tried it for the 1st time and wouldn't try it again
Poppyseed Coleslaw (Vegetarian) 4-( T) Good and well worth trying out.

Soups:

Deep Kettle House Chili (Low-Fat) 4-( E) It was good but I did add onions & cheese
Golden Yam Bisque (Vegetarian) 1 -( E) Just didn't float my boat, 3 -( T) different, unique
Yankee Clipper Clam Chowder with Bacon 5 -( E) I can eat a good clam chowder e'erday
Classical French Onion (Non-Vegetarian)3- (E) along side a good roast beef sandwich, 2- (T) as a stand alone soup not impressed
Cream of Mushroom (Non-Vegetarian) 4 (T) Really good!!!

Pastas:

Macaroni & Cheese (Vegetarian) 3- (T) Liked it, thought it would be a good option for kids
Vegetarian Marinara w/ Basil (Vegetarian) 4 -(T) Also very good and a great option for the little ones


Muffins:

Buttermilk Cornbread (Low-Fat) 2- (T) didn't really care for whole corn kernals in the cornbread.
Chocolate Brownie Muffin 5- (E) chocolate!!!, need I say more
Garlic Asiago Focaccia 5 -(E) (T) We are both big on bread good alone or dipped in soup.
Wildly Blue Blueberry Muffin 3- (E) okay but not memorable
Cranberry Orange Bran Muffin (96% Fat-Free) 3- (E) It was good, just a little to thick and heavy for my liking.

Desserts:

Vanilla Soft Serve 5- (E) with the right toppings you can't go wrong
Chocolate Soft Serve 1- (T) tried both chocolate and vanilla but even with topping couldn't finish it, wasnt good.



My favorite part of eating, dessert =>




Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes are not at this time located in all of the states. You can find out if there is a Souplantation or Sweet Tomatoes, also you can check out full menus at their website http://www.souplantation.com/.



A few more ratings:

Family Friendly 4 (E) I saw a lot of high chairs, most of the seating was booth style which works well for my family, but I would have liked to see a few more items my kids would have liked. 4 (T)

Restrooms: 4- (E) clean and stocked, a little small though only two stalls. 2- (T) felt they could have been cleaner.

Staff: 5- (E) Friendly and helpful 3- (T) would like to have seen a greeter/hostess
Dining Room: 5- (E) food stations were clean and well stocked. 5- (T)

Overall I would rate the place at an A-. I really enjoyed eating here (I ate way more than I should of definitely got my money's worth) I would absolutely go back again. :)