Trail Mix Cookies in the Mini

Welcome to Cookie Friday!!!

I'm gonna give it my best shot to post a new cookie recipe every Friday.

I'm always finding/collecting new and different cookie recipes so this is gonna help me get through that massive stack and keep the cookie jar full for all the little grabby hands around here!!

YUM!!!

Perfection in a cookie and a great starter for Cookie Friday! These have all the best stuff and are also known as Monster Cookies.

I decided to change it up a bit and go mini-mini M&M's, chocolate chips, peanut butter cups, butterscotch chips and toffee bits-all topped of with toasted coconut!

Besides the above mentioned ingredients we'll need-

flour, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, peanut butter, oatmeal, baking soda, and course Kosher salt.

Lovin' these mini peanut butter cups!

All the "goods"!

Roll into whatever size cookies needed.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes.

Enjoy!!:)

Printable Recipe

Cuban Panini Pressed Sandwich

A sandwich that really speaks for itself!

Gooey-cheesey deliciousness

Perfect for a Wednesday of wondering....

"What to make for suppa??"

Solution:

CUBAN PANINI!!

So good and so easy-recipe rundown:

yellow mustard

Portuguese bread-or Kaiser rolls

thin sliced ham

pork roast

dill pickles

Muenster or Swiss

Spread mustard on rolls/bread, then layer ham, pork roast, pickles and cheese.

Panini for 5 minutes.

Then dig in and as always-ENJOY!!!!

*recipe slightly adapted from Taste of Home*

Printable Recipe

Frozen Strawberry Cheesecake & CSN Review

I know Summer is still about a month away but get ready cuz this dessert

is what Summer is all about!! Ice cream, strawberries with just a hint of lemon...

mmmmm!

A while back we got an invitation to do another CSN review (love them!! :))

and chose to get the cutest mini springform pans!

Aren't they the adorable? :)

They are great to make individual little desserts!

Your dessert comes out perfectly... you don't have to worry about whether

it will keep its shape or is it even going to come out?

Check out all the CSN stores for the mini springform pans

or anything else you might be looking for.

Back to the dessert.....

Inside of the the frozen cheesecake is chunks of cheesecake (It is

almost like a blizzard!!) so to start you can either purchase a store

bought cheesecake or make your own. I chose to make a White chocolate Cheesecake

adapted from Paula Deen. It is a great Cheesecake!! And

pretty simple to throw together.

Start by mixing your graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter.

Press into a 9-inch springform pan.

Note: We didn't end up using the whole cheesecake so you could

make a smaller one!

Bake for 8 minutes.

Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth....

Add eggs one and a time.

Next, add the best part... the melted white chocolate!

Pour into baked crust and bake for 45 minutes.

Let sit for about 8 hours on a cooling rack.

..... much later :)

Make another graham cracker crust and press into

your springform pan.

Cut cheesecake into bite size pieces.

Fold cheesecake chunks into ice cream that has been whipped along

with small chunks of strawberries.

Add the ice cream filling to the prepared pans....

Don't be shy.... fill 'er up!

Such cute little pans!

Cover with Reynolds wrap and place into freezer.

Make the topping by adding strawberries, lemon juice and sugar

to saucepan. Cook for 3-5 minutes and cool until ready to use.

Once the ice cream and re-frozen, remove from freezer and

springform pan.

I love how the shape is so perfect!

Add your strawberry topping.

Sit back and enjoy!

White Chocolate Cheesecake Printable Recipe

Frozen Cheesecake Printable Recipe

Sweet and Spicy Pork Tenderloin with Orange Glaze

This one is a bit time consuming but totally worth it!!!

Plan ahead there is a 2 hour "marinade" time-sweet and spicy rub mixture needs a little time to work its magic;)

Tenderloin is so yummy and is especially so with the sweet and spicy rub!

Here is what you'll need for that yummy rub...

hot Mexican-style chili powder

garlic powder

dried oregano

cinnamon

Mix up ahead of time and get to work on the tenderloin-

slice them 3/4 of the way through and open like a book-pound flat.

Rub all sides with the spice mixture and refrigerate.

Meanwhile make a glaze:

orange juice

brown sugar

onion

Worcestershire sauce

mustard

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 mins. until mixture has reduced down to 2/3 c.

Cool completely.

Preheat grill and throw on tenderloins, flip after 3 to 4 mins and baste with the glaze.

Repeat with other side.

Use all the glaze its delish!!

This recipe is from Weight Watcher Magazine.

Super yummy and perfect for grilling season-which I hear is all year round!!!

Enjoy!!

Printable Recipe

Cheese Fondue

Do you have a special occasion coming up? Or just want to

do something different for dinner? Fondue

is a great way to go! I also hear that it is fun for the kidd-o's

as well. There is just something about fondue.... and it is so nummy too!

The ingredients are:

garlic clove

white wine

gouda cheese

mozzarella cheese(or you can just use gouda!)

cornstarch

black pepper

nutmeg

Baguette or any kind of bread is always delish with gouda! We just

used a french bread...

apples and broccoli!

Salami would have went great with this as well!

All set and ready to go!

Printable Recipe

**Recipe adapted from FoodNetwork.com and Wolfgang Puck

Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake Recipe

I have never made/attempted a plain cheesecake in a springform pan before so when I had to make a strawberry cheesecake for my SIL for her birthday I knew that I wanted to make one in a spring foam pan!! So I found a Cheesecake Factory cheesecake recipe all over the internet and figured I would give it a shot!!! The crust alone sounded different then the typical crust with all the different nuts and no graham crackers!! Someday I would love to go to the Cheesecake Factory and have a real sample besides the samples I get at Starbucks but until  then this recipe will do in the mean time!!!  This recipe will not let you down…if you are a cheesecake lover then you must try this recipe!!!!
For the crust pulse together the pecans,walnuts,almonds, and the vanilla wafers…then mix in melted butter.

Press into a 9 inch buttered springform pan, trying to line the sides as much as possible about 1 1/2" up the sides of the pan, set aside.

*Make sure all of your cheesecake ingredients are at room temperature!!!
{I totally forgot to get any pictures of the mixing of the cheesecake part…sorry} 
You will beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy on low {always keep this setting} Add sugar a little at a time and continue beating until creamy. Add one egg at a time and beat after each egg. Add flour, vanilla and lemon juice, mix well. Add the sour cream and beat well. Pour cream cheese mixture into the springform pan.Place on the top rack in the middle of a 325 degree F preheated oven for one hour and 15 minutes.

When time is up turn oven off, prop open oven door and leave in oven for one hour. Remove from oven and let cool then refrigerate for 24 hours.
Remember this important tip : A cheesecake should season. The wait is worth it. The flavor ripens and becomes enriched.
Serve it with a drizzle of strawberry sauce and you are all set!!!!

Enjoy because it is delish!!!!
{If anyone is interested in the strawberry sauce let us know!!!}
Printable Recipe

Carne Asada Tacos

Posting these pics is making my mouth water!!!

Good sign, right?

Warning: this is another one of those meals that you need

to start the night before!!!

But it is pretty simple and very tasty!!!

The night before, take a beef chuck roast and place it

in a glass baking dish. In a small bowl add the following

ingredients for the marinade:

lime juice

vegetable oil

chopped onion

minced garlic

salt

pepper

Cover and marinade overnight... be sure to turn several times!

The next day....

to a crockpot add vegetable stock, can of diced tomatoes, chipotle peppers, yellow

onion, garlic cloves, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.

Remove meat from marinade and add to crockpot.

Cook for 4-5 hours or until fork tender.

After the meat has cooked, start frying the tortillas.

Place corn tortillas in a large saucepan with a small amount

of oil and fry for about 1 minute each side.

Place on a paper towel lined place to drain extra grease.

You are ready to assemble....

this is the way I like them but you can add whatever you like

or leave off what you don't! :)

Take your warm tortilla, top with meat, squeeze lime juice over the

meat for extra nummy flavor... top with salsa, cilantro (lots of cilantro!!!)

and Quesco Fresco.

Serve with a side of chips and salsa and you are all set!

Enjoy!

Printable Recipe