Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Streusel
Topping
from melskitchencafe.com
Base:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
Cream Cheese Layer:
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Apples:
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely
chopped
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Streusel Topping:
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup caramel sauce (homemade recipe
below)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, two tablespoons
sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine all the streusel topping ingredients
and mix until crumbly. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter
with a pastry blender or two forks until mixture is crumbly but combined. Press
evenly into a 9X13-inch baking pan lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 10 minutes
or until lightly browned.
While the crust is baking, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese
with 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Then add eggs, one at a time and then the
vanilla. Mix well. Pour over the warm crust.
Spoon the apple mixture evenly over the cheesecake layer.
Sprinkle the streusel topping over the apples. Bake for 30 minutes until the
filling is set.
Cool the bars to room temperature. Drizzle with the caramel
topping (or plate individual slices and drizzle with topping one by
one).
Caramel Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ cups half-and-half or cream
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
Mix butter, brown sugar, half-and-half or cream, and salt in a
saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook while
whisking gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until thickened slightly. Add the vanilla
and cook another minute to thicken further. Turn off the heat and pour the sauce
into a jar. Refrigerate until cold. If the caramel sauce has cooled in the
fridge long enough to harden, warm slightly before drizzling on bars.

Roasted Veggies

My new favorite thing for dinner is roasted veggies. 

 They are very easy to make and very healthy.

put down tin foil  and grease with vegetable oil or olive oil

cut up 3-4 red potatoes

1/2 red onion

1 zucchini

1 squash

1 red or green pepper

salt and pepper

garlic salt (optional)

bake @ 375 for 15 min. or until done

serve with chicken or steak- YUMMO



BISCUITS ANYONE

Jared loves these biscuits.  They are delicious with gravy or butter and honey. 

He wanted them the other night and I was too lazy to make them so I said, "here is the recipe." 

He was very unsure of himself, but he did a great job. 

Servings: about 3 dozen biscuits

Cook Time: 12 min

PAULA DEENS BISCUITS
Ingredients Add to grocery list
*2 cups all-purpose flour
*1 teaspoons sugar
*1 tablespoon baking powder
*1 teaspoon salt
*8 tablespoons butter, cubed
*3/4 cup milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
*In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Cut butter into mixture until it begins to look like cornmeal.
*Make a well with flour mixture and slowly add milk into the middle. Knead dough with your fingers and add milk when necessary. Roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to desired thickness. Cut with small biscuit cutter.
*Butter bottom of skillet and place biscuits in pan. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Brownie Waffles

The other night we had dinner at The Outback Steakhouse.

For dessert we ordered a delicious brownie waffle with hot chocolate syrup and ice cream.

It was SWEET!

We were so in love with this dessert that we asked our waiter for the recipe, and he gave it to us.

All it takes is a

*Devils Food Cake (mixed with egg, water, oil)

(add) *chocolate pudding mix

We made them the other night with an instant pudding mix and we think it might be better with a

cook and serve pudding mix, but we don't know. We forgot to ask about that part of the recipe.

This is not the best picture, but (Yum) they are good.

You should try them.

Baked Ziti

This is a quick and easy recipe.  Try it.... you will LOVE IT!

INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb ziti pasta
16 ounces ricotta cheese
3 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
3 cups spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Boil ziti, following package directions, drain and place in a large bowl.
3. Mix all the ricotta cheese and half of the mozzarella with the ziti.
4. Spray a 13X9 pan with Pam.
5. Cover the bottom half of the pan with about half the sauce.
6. Put the ziti mixture on top of sauce.
7. Pour remaining sauce on top of ziti.
8. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.
9. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
10. Bake for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted and it is lightly golden.

ENJOY!

Banana Pudding to die for!!!

We've been trying to eat better since we got our gym memberships because what is the point of paying for a gym pass if you're still going to eat like crap??? Well, we totally blew our diet this weekend when I made this banana pudding that is so super yummy!! It is so good, so try it. Just make sure you share it with someone or you just might eat it all yourself. I may or may not be guilty of that :-)

(Photo and recipe courtesy of www.restorativeliving.blogspot.com)

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 Big box of instant vanilla pudding
1 8oz. tub full fat cool-whip, thawed
4-5 bananas, sliced and dipped in lemon juice to prevent browning
1 box Nilla wafers

Combine the sweetened condensed milk and the cold water until mixed well. Add the box of pudding mix and stir until there are no lumps and it is all mixed up. Chill in the fridge for 5 minutes. Once it's chilled, fold in the tub of cool whip. Now it's time to assemble. Put about 1 cup of pudding mixture in a bowl. Then layer with sliced bananas and then Nilla wafers on top of the bananas. Spoon another cup or so of the pudding mixture covering the first layer and top again with bananas and Nilla wafers. Spread remaining pudding mixture on top and top it off with a layer of Nilla wafers. Easy peasy!! It is so so good, try it and let me know what you think!

Sweet and Spicy Slow Cooker Chicken

This recipe was yummy yummy!! We put it in flour tortillas for a taco type meal. The site where
I got the recipe from said that when she makes this she usually doubles or triples it because it freezes so well.

2 boneless , skinless chicken breasts
1 (14 oz.) can petite or regular diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (add more if you like extra heat - with this amount it is mild enough for kids to eat but spicy enough to help offset the sweetness)

Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Pour over the chicken, Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-9 hours. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Return to the slow cooker and mix the chicken with the juices from the tomato/brown sugar sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in flour tortilas or over tortilla chips with toppings of choice: lettuce, sour cream, cheese, avocados, etc.

Chili Rubbed Pork with Orange Glaze

We don't usually eat a lot of pork and I wasn't sure about this recipe when I saw it. It is super yummy though. Jed was unsure of the cilantro in the sauce at first, but he likes it know. We really like this recipe.

2 (1 pound) pork tender loins (we used 5 little pork tenderloin cutlets)

Spice Rub:
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups orange marmalade
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. hot sauce
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 small limes, juiced

Place chili powder, garlic powder, sugar, salt and pepper in a jar or bowl and blend well. Rub spice mixture onto pork tenderloins and refrigerate overnight.
Prior to grilling, melt orange marmalade in saucepan over medium heat. Remove pan from the heat and stir in remaining glaze ingredients. Plance half the glaze in a serving bowl and hold for later.
Prepare grill at medium-high heat. Grill pork tenderloins for 15-20 minutes, or the internal temperature of the pork reaches 160 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer.
When approximately 4 minutes of cook time remains, brush the pork tenderloins with the orange glaze remaining in the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, turn the pork tenderloins and bush glaze on other side. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove pork from the grill and let set for about 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with reserved glaze over rice. Enjoy!!

Honey Sauced Chicken

This recipe is sooo yummy. I reined it a little bit the first time I made it because I let it cook too long in the crock pot. The second go around, I doubled so we could have leftovers and I made sure I didn't cook it so long. It was delicious. Be sure to double the recipe if you are feeding more than 2-4 people.

2 Chicken breasts
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium if you don't want it so salty)
1/8 cup chopped onion (or 1/16 cup onion flakes)
1/8 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, put into crock pot. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic, and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours. Be sure to take the chicken out and shred it half way through, return it to the pot and toss with sauce and continue cooking until the time is up. DON'T OVERCOOK!! You'll know because the sauce will thicken up a lot and get really dark. Serve over rice or noodles.
Yum, Yum!!

Catalina Apricot Chicken

Jed and I really liked this recipe. It might sound a little nasty, but it is actually really good. Sorry I don't have any pictures, and I can't remember where I got this recipe. Try and see if you like it.

2-3 Chicken Breasts (or more)
1 Cup Sweet Honey Catalina dressing
1 Cup Apricot Jam/Preserves
1 packet Lipton onion soup mix

--Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken on the bottom of slow cooker. In a separate bowl, combine the dressing, jam and soup mix. Pour over chicken in your slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours. Once it has been cooking for about half the time you decided on, take it out and shred the chicknen. Put it back in the slow cooker once it's shredded to cook for the remainiing time Serve over rice. Enjoy!!

Super Soft Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

Julie has been telling me about this yummy sugar cookie recipe that she has that has sour cream in it.  It sounded a little funny, but I was willing to try it.  I never did get the recipe from her, but I did find this one yesterday on http://www.thesisterscafe.blogspot.com/ and it is de-e-licious!!! I made these yesterday and I LOVE them. Just like Julies recipe, this one has sour cream in it.  They are THE yummiest, softest, puffiest little sugar cookies that I have ever had.  SO GOOD!!! I think the recipe makes a perfect amount too.  Not too many, just right!

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
4 cups flour

Cream together softened butter with sugar, sour cream and eggs.  Add vanilla, almond extract, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.  Slowly add flour, 1 cup at a time.  Dough should be sticky. Refrigerate one hour.  Knead dough on floured board until it's no longer sticky. Roll out and cut with cookie cutters.  Bake for 9 to 12 minutes at 350.  Frost with your favorite icing.

Pumpkin Fluff or Pumpkin Pie Dip

I found this on one of my favorite food blogs (http://www.thegirlwhoateeverything.blogspot.com/) and just had to share.  I can't wait to make it!  Let me know if any of you try it and what you think.

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup frozen whipped cream, thawed
Gingersnap cookies, apples, or cinnamon graham cracker sticks

1.  In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.
2.  Add in pumpkin, sour cream, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and ginger. Mix well.
3.  Fold in the thawed whipped cream.
4.  Serve with green apples, graham cracker sticks, or gingersnaps.
5.  Store in refrigerator

GRANDMA'S PEACH PIE FILLING

3/4 c. sugar
2 heaping tsp. of flour
dash of nutmeg
3 to 4 sliced peaches

FREEZE in a large zip lock baggie

unthaw and use when ready

GRANDMA'S PEACH COBBLER

1 c sugar
1/4 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. milk
pinch of salt
dollops of butter
3 to 4 sliced peaches

BUTTERSCOTCH BUBBLES

Our neighbors made these for us.  They are so DELICIOUS!

12 Rhodes Rolls (thawed)
dipped in:
1 lg. box non-instant Butterscotch Pudding

Arrange in greased pan. 
Then pour over:
6 TBSP melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup nuts

Let rise. Bake 350 for 20 min 
In vert (optional)

CHEESE BROCCOLI SOUP

4 cups cubed potatoes
1 onion, chopped
2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups chopped celery
3 cups cut up broccoli

Boil all veggies but broccoli in 2 cups of water for 10 minutes.  Add the broccoli and boil for 10 more minutes.  DO NOT DRAIN!

Sauce:
1/2 cup margarine
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 1/2 to 2 cups of cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 chicken flavored bouillon cubes (or 3 teaspoons bouillon granules)

In saucepan, melt margarine.  Stir in flour.  Add milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thick.  Add cheese and other ingredients.  Mix until smooth.  Add to undrained veggies and heat together but do not boil.

Enjoy!

QUICK CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

4 chicken breasts

boil chicken in water for 20 minutes and cut up into small pieces.

5 carrots, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 quarts water
4 chicken bouillon cubes (or teaspoons chicken bouillon granules)

Boil veggies, bouillon and water together for 15 to 20 minutes.  Add cut up chicken.

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 teaspoon basil
pepper to taste
1 cup frozen peas (optional)
1/2 of (11-ounce) package Grandma's Frozen Homemade Noodles, thawed

Add cream of chicken soup, basil and pepper and bring to boil again before adding defrosted noodles and peas.  Cook for an additional 5 minutes.  (You can use 2 quarts of chicken broth instead of water and bouillon.)

Annie- Sorry I don't have a picture.

Pumpkin Stew

Okay, so I haven't actually made this one yet either.  I've seen it done before, and I think it's such a fun fall/halloween soup idea.I definitely hope to try it while there are still pumpkins around.  It should turn out looking somewheat like the picture below.

Pumpkin Stew

2 stalks celery
1 onion
2 lbs. stew meat
Cooking oil
3 large potatoes
4 medium carrots
1 large green pepper
4 cloves of garlic
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
2 TBSP. beef bouillon
1 (15 oz) can tomatoes
1 Cup of water
1 Pumpkin
Directions:
Cook meat in oil; add to slow cooker with everything except bouillon and tomato. Cook 2 hours, and then add bouillon and tomatoes. Oil outside of pumpkin. Cut and clean out pumpkin. Add stew inside of pumpkin. Put lid back on. Cook on cookie sheet at 325 for 2 hours.

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

I haven't actually tried this recipe yet, but I trust any recipe I find on this blog.  I will be making this very very soon!

(Pictures and recipe courtesy of http://www.thegirlwhoateeverything.blogspot.com/)

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup
3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup carrot, diced (optional)
1 cup diced cooked ham (buy a ham steak in the deli section)
3 1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

Note: I added some carrots that I had and Becky said she adds a can of corn too which would be good.

Directions:
1.Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, carrot, ham and chicken broth in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper.
2.In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk so that lumps don't form and until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
3.Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through.
4. Top with cheddar cheese, chives, and bacon if desired. Serve immediately.
5. Makes 6 servings

Source: adapted from Allrecipes

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Soup Time at the Lyon House!!  I love Love LOVE fall time!!  I love the nice crisp mornings and the warm afternoons, the pretty colors in the mountains, the smell of stoves burning, and warm wassail and soup.  Jed's newest love is wassail.  All the people he works with show up with thermos' full of coffee, and then there's Jed, happy as can be with his thermos full of wassail.  I crave soup this time of year when the weather is like it is, so I thought I'd share some of our favorites!


Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

2 Cans of Cream of Chicken Soup
2 Cans of Cream of Celery Soup
1 Large can of Chicken Broth
1 lb. chicken breasts
¾ Cup of frozen peas
¾ Cup of frozen carrots
1 Cup of frozen corn
1 ½ TBS. dried vegetable flakes
1 TBS. of dried parsley
½ tsp. of garlic powder
½ onion (chopped), OR 1 ½ TBS. dried chopped onion
¼ - ½ tsp. of dried basil
1 package of Frozen Grandma Noodles or Reames Noodles (Home Style)

Directions:
1. Boil chicken in broth until it’s almost done.  (I like to just put the chicken in my crock pot in the morning and let it slowly cook throughout the day.  That way, when I come home from work I just have to shred the chicken and add the other ingredients.)
2. Remove chicken from broth and cube or shred.
3. Add all ingredients except noodles back to the chicken broth. Cook until well mixed and creamy.
4. Add chicken to the soup
5. Add frozen noodles and cook until noodles are tender (add more broth if needed). DO NOT add water to thin out soup….it will take away the taste.

You might want to make a ½ batch using half the ingredients. This makes a lot of soup!