Apple Kuchen

Wow! This stuff is GOOD!

I'm glad I stumbled upon the recipe on Pinterest...yes it's another "Pinned it..tried it...and LOVED it!"

I could have used this recipe a LONG time ago. I'm thinking holidays...potlucks...it's so easy and feeds quite a few. I'll be putting it to good use in the future though, that's for sure.

It's basically an apple crumb pie in a  9 x 13 pan. First you make the crust....but NO ROLLING....yay! You bake that,and let it cool while you make the filling and the crumb topping.

It's amazing, and right in time for baking with all those apples that are around this fall!

Apple Kuchen

2 c. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. cold butter

Mix with pastry bender until size of peas.

Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of cold water until crumbs are just moistened. Pat in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes until edges are just turning slightly brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, peal and slice 8 cups of apples. Mix with:

1 c. sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

Place on top of the cooled crust.

Mix until coarse crumbs form:

1 c. flour

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. cold butter

Sprinkle on top and bake at 350 for 60 to 70 minutes or until apples are soft and crust is lightly browned.

Pretzel Ghosts...Pinned it and tried it

Don't these look fun?

Of course I saw them on Pinterest again, so I pinned it tried it, and LOVED it!

They were super easy, just dipping the pretzels in chocolate and adding some candy eyes. I suppose they would look more like ghosts if I had used white chocolate.

But you know me, I LOVE dark chocolate!

Crunchy grape pecan salad..pinned it and tried it

This is just sinful.

But it's SO good!

Pinned it, tried it, and LOVED it!

Crunchy Grape Pecan Salad

Deliciously Sprinkled

2 c. green grapes

2 c. red grapes

1 c. sour cream

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. sugar ( I used 1/4 c.)

2 tsp. vanilla

Topping:

1 c. brown sugar ( I used 1/4- 1/2 c. c.)

1 c. chopped pecans ( I used 1/2 c.)

1 c. chopped walnuts( I used 1/2 c.)

Mix the cream cheese, sour cream and vanilla together. Stir in the grapes. Refrigerate 2 hours. Combine the brown sugar and nuts, sprinkle on top before serving.

Ham Salad..pinned it and tried it

Pinned it, tried it and LOVED it!

This recipe had only a few ingredients, and all ones I had on hand. I decided to make it to take to the lake, and we thought it was delicious!

It was fun to have on hand and just be able to grab out of the frig and make a quick meal of sandwiches. 

Perfect for a hot day!

Ham Salad

JamHands

2 c. ham, diced

1/2 c. Miracle Whip

1/4 c. mayo

2 tsp. dried onion flakes

1 tsp. stone ground mustard

1 Tsp. sweet pickle relish ( I used a bit more)

Combine all and chill. ( I used a food processor.)

Pinned it and tried it....DIY Oatmeal Packets

Pinned it, tried it, and LOVED this idea! As soon as I saw this floating around on Pinterest, I had to give it a try.

I made up a bunch of individual DIY oatmeal packets, using different add ins. It's so EZ to grab one in the morning and throw it in the microwave with some water.

 I adjusted the amount of ingredients to fit my needs. You can use 1/2 c oats and 1 c. water, or even 1/4 c. oats and 1/2 c. water. I find 1/3 c. oats and 2/3 c. water is just the right amount of oatmeal for me.

Here are a few of the packets that I made:

                                                                      Pecan cherry

                                                                     Cinnamon raisin

                                                               


                                                                    Cranberry walnut

     

                                                                   Brown sugar pecan

Enjoy!

DIY Individual Oatmeal Packets

     adapted from

Turning the Clock back

1/3 c. oatmeal

2 Tbs. dried fruit

2 Tbs. nuts

2 tsp. sugar

(can add ins like chocolate chips, cinnamon, etc.can also add powdered milk)

 Put ingredients into the small snack size bags. Dump packet contents in a microwave safe bowl and add 2/3 c water. Microwave on high 2 minutes.

Crunchy Frostbite Cookies...pinned it and tried it

I just realized I never posted this.....I pinned it and tried it and LOVED it....way back before Christmas!

I made a large batch of these and froze them for the holidays. They were crunchy, yet slightly soft and chewy in the middle. Dipping them in white chocolate is a great idea....really set them apart and looked very festive for Christmas.

You can find the recipe here, at Plain Chicken, one of my favorite blogs, full of awesome recipes to try!

Flourless Fudge cookies..pinned it and tried it

 I read about these at ihearteating , thought they looked delicious, so I pinned them, tried them and liked them! Very rich and chocolaty!

These were an unusual cookie, not your typical texture.

They were crackled and crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. Even the next day, they were still gooey on the inside. I expected the insides to harden or dry out, but nope...they were still gooey and delicious! Brent liked to put them in the microwave for a few seconds and eat them warm. His idea was to top them with some ice cream and hot fudge.

I liked them not only because they tasted wonderful, but also because they are light in calories. 

That's always a bonus!

Flour less Fudge Cookies

3 c. powdered sugar

3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp. salt

4 large egg whites

1 T. pure vanilla extract

1/2 c. semisweet mini chocolate chip ( I used regular size)

Mix and drop onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, or until tops are set. Let cool on sheet before removing to rack. 

Southern Plate's Mac and Cheese

Pinned it, tried it, and loved it!

I usually make Paula's recipe for mac and cheese, and we love it. But this recipe looked SO easy, I gave it a try.

It was easy, too.

And the cheese......oh, so gooey and delicious!

I found it at Southern Plate, and you can find the recipe here.

I'll be making it again!

Caramel apple dip...pinned it and tried it

Pinned it, tried it, and LOVED it!

How simple this recipe is! 

But as I've said before, sometimes the best things are so easy and simple. And this is proof of that. The combination is irresistible..from the creamy cheese, and the thick, sweet caramel to the crunchy toffee bits...it's a winner!

Caramel Apple Dip

crumbs and chaos

2 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. powdered sugar

16 oz. carton Marzetti's caramel  dip

1 c. Heath Toffee Bits

apple slices

Mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Spread on a plate. Spoon the caramel on top. Sprinkle with toffee bits. Serve with apple slices.

Maple Toffee Cookies...pinned it and tried it

If you want a real treat....make a batch of these cookies! 

Pinned it ,tried it. and LOVED it. 

It's no secret Brent loves Heath bars....

Here he is with the stash he received from his coworkers his last day at work, before he started his new job. They are long gone, now, though. I can't believe it was 2 years ago we moved!

Anyway, I often look for recipes that use Heath bits for him. This one sounded interesting, as we both love maple,too.

They are really incredible. I love the chewy centers, the buttery toffee filled crumb, and that maple flavor,well, it just makes me want MORE.

I really think it's the maple flavor that makes these so amazing, but I'm sure you can guess what Brent would say...

the Heath bits!!! 

Either way, the combo is delicious!

• Maple Toffee Cookies
• Shugary sweets
• 
  
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp maple extract (flavoring)
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 bag or more toffee bits ( I used Heath bits with the chocolate)

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the Heath bits. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

Big Soft Ginger Cookies..pinned it and tried it

Here's another delicious recipe I pinned and tried. They were one of the best cookies I have ever made!

They were big, soft, and a bit chewy in the center. Absolutely perfect, except for one thing.

No crinkles!

The picture had some lovely sugar sprinkles with nice crackles on top of the cookies. For some reason, the sugar melted into the cookie and there was not one cookie that had a crinkle.

But they were SO good I guess it didn't really matter!

Big Soft Ginger Cookies

allrecipes

2 1/4 c. flour
2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp. water
1/4 c. molasses

Sift the dry ingredients together and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar, add the egg, water and molasses, and mix well.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet. Refrigerate 2 hours. Roll into balls and dip in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, flatten slightly. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Cool on rack before removing from cookie sheet.

Red, White and Blue Salad, pinned it and tried it

I pinned this and tried it and loved it!

I really liked the feta with the 2 kinds of berries. I made my own poppy seed dressing,though, the recipe suggested using bottled. It only took a minute, as I make it quite often.

This is so colorful, I should have made this for the 4th......maybe I will next year!

Red, White, and Blue Salad

greenlitebites

3-4 c. romaine

1/2 c. strawberries, sliced

1/2 c. blueberries

1 oz. feta, crumbled

1 Tbsp. poppy seed dressing

I made my own dressing:

3/4 c. lite mayo

1/3 c. splenda

2 Tbsp. vinegar

1/4 c. milk

2 Tbsp. poppy

Peanut butter blondies..pinned it and tried it

I needed to bring some bars to church that were easy to transport, so I pinned these and tried them. 

They were delicious! 

Chewy and moist with lots of rich peanut butter flavor. The only thing I would change is the baking time. The first day they were perfect, but after that they got a bit hard. Next time I will under bake them and see if that helps keep them moist longer.

Peanut butter Blondies

brown eyed baker

1 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. butter, melted and cooled

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

2 eggs, room temp

4 tsp.vanilla

1/2 c. peanut butter

1/2 c. peanut butter chips (I used Reeses pieces, and I added more)

1/2 c. dry roasted peanuts, chopped

Mix the brown sugar and eggs. Add the vanilla and peanut butter. Sift the flour, baking powder,and salt and add to mixture. Stir in nuts and chips. Spread in a 9x13 pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.

Butterfingers pie..pinned it and tried it

A few weeks ago I posted an awesome Butterfingers dessert I made for company one night.You can check that out here.

But I had several candy bars left over, so I made this pie for Sunday dinner. It was a BIG hit with Brent and his mom! I think he liked it even better than the dessert I had made.

It was perfect for serving on a hot summer afternoon. Light and creamy, cool and sweet..... and just plain delicious!

Butterfingers Pie

food.com

1 (12 oz.) Cool whip ( I think real whipped cream would be even BETTER)

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

10 (or more or less, depending how sweet you want it) small butterfingers, crushed (reserve a few crumbs for the top) 

1 graham cracker crust

Mix the crushed butterfingers with the softened cream cheese, fold in the cool whip and spoon into crust. Chill. (about 2 hours worked well for me) Sprinkle with reserved crushed butterfingers before serving.

*I used lite cool whip, low fat cream cheese, and low fat graham crust

Butterfinger dessert..pinned it and tried it

I was looking for a light, yet flavorful and delicious dessert, and this really fit the bill. The great thing about this recipe is it can be made with low fat ingredients,too. You just use fewer snack size butterfingers, and actually a few crushed butterfingers go quite far.

 Another fun thing would be to try different candy bars...heath, whoppers, and Nestle crunch all sound good to me. Or just different fruits would be good too

.Now I need to decide what I will choose next time I make this!

Butter Finger Dessert
my kitchen adventures

1 package sugar free fat free instant vanilla pudding

1 1/2 c. low fat milk

1 (8 oz.) tub light whipped topping, 

1 angel food cake

butterfingers, crushed (I used about 8 snack size bars, but you could get by with 4)

Mix the milk and pudding , beating for 2 minutes until thickened. Fold in the whipped topping. Tear the angel food cake into pieces. Place half in a 9x13 pan. Pour half of the pudding mixture on top. Sprinkle with butterfingers. Repeat. Refrigerate until serving.

PB and yogurt dip..pinned it and tried it

Hmmmm. I kinda wondered about this when I saw it. Yogurt and peanut butter? What would that combo be like? Of course I HAD to pin it and try it. I was just too curious.

It was a delightful surprise!

So creamy, delicious,  and just perfect with apples. I didn't use as much peanut butter as suggested, and  it still had plenty of PB flavor. A great snack anytime of the day!

Peanut butter and yogurt dip

fabulous food blog

1 c. Greek plain yogurt

1/2 c. peanut butter

Mix well. Serve with fruit of your choice.

Comeback burger...Pinned it and tried it

We love burgers. Have I said that before? I'm pretty sure I have. Especially Brent. He would choose to eat a burger EVERY night. So I do make them often, but not every night!

I like to mix em up a bit with different cheeses and sauces. I LOVE Comeback Sauce especially as a dip for fries. I often order it if I see it on a menu. I've made it before, but I didn't think I'd made this recipe. It looked so good floating around on Pinterest.

So I pinned it and tried it.

We liked it.

But then I knew we would!




Comeback Sauce

Kayotic Kitchen

5 tbsp mayonnaise 
5 tbsp ketchup 
1 tbsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp mustard powder

Mix well.

Balsamic Roast Beef...pinned it and tried it

This was so good!

Once again, I pinned it, I tried it and I liked it!

I read all about it at add a pinch, she raved about how great it was. I agree, it IS a tasty beef recipe, one I will make again for sure!

 Balsamic Roast Beef

add a pinch

1  3-4 lb. boneless beef roast

1 c. beef broth

1/2 c. balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp. honey

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/2 tsp, red pepper flakes

3 cloves garlic,chopped

Put the roast in the crock pot. Mix the rest of the ingredients and pour on top. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Shred and serve on buns.

Lemon crinkles...pinned it and tried it

I say yes to these! Another good pin!

The cookies are so soft and delightful, with just the right amount of lemon. I read about them at LDS Living where they had won an award. I doubled the batch and got about 6 dozen cookies.

 A nice spring treat!

Lemon Crinkles 

LDS Living

1 c. butter, softened

2 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

2 tsp. lemon zest

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

3 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

(1 c. powdered sugar to roll them in)

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice. Stir in the dry ingredients. Form into 1 in. balls and roll in powdered sugar. Press down slightly. Bake at  350 for 9-11 minutes on lightly greased cookie sheets until slightly browned on the bottom and have lost their shine. Cool on pan for 3 min. before removing.

Mexican Chicken...Pinned it and tried it

I couldn't wait to post about this dish. It was that good. And simple....but tasted incredible.  We actually had to force ourselves to stop eating it all. I served it with some Mexican rice and beans. I tried to save enough for us for lunch the next day, (it was hard)  as I am always looking for recipes that reheat well. This one did, it even tasted better,we thought. I would label this as one of the better finds I have pinned on Pinterest!

MEXICAN CHICKEN 

linda's low carb menus


1 pound boneless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon taco seasoning
3/4  cup enchilada sauce ( I used more)
1 cup cheddar cheese
3 green onions 

Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with taco seasoning; grill or cook on stove top. Cut the chicken into cubes and put in a greased baking dish.  Add the enchilada sauce and mix to coat the chicken. Sprinkle the cheese over the chicken and bake at 350º for 15 minutes,until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle the green onions over the top.