White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe pairs well with the Cranberry-White Chocolate Blondies, but I imagine it would also go well with white or dark chocolate cupcakes, dark chocolate brownies, and any number of other dishes. It's also really good just eaten straight out of the bowl. : )

What You'll Need:

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioner's sugar
3 oz white chocolate (chips or chopped baking chocolate), melted

How to Make It:

Beat the cream cheese and confectioner's sugar until blended. Slowly drizzle in the white chocolate, and beat until completely incorporated.

Cranberry-White Chocolate Blondies

These turned out to be so pretty! I think they'd make a nice Christmas dessert, since they are red and white.

What You'll Need: 

3/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
3/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 oz white chocolate, chopped, or an equal amount of white chocolate chips
One recipe White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
About 3 oz melted white chocolate (chips or chopped baking chocolate)


How to Make It: 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in the microwave. Stir in the brown sugar. Transfer this mixture to a large bowl, and set it aside to cool. Meanwhile, Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. When the brown sugar-butter mixture has cooled to room temperature, beat in the eggs and the vanilla until everything is well combined. Gradually beat in the flour mixture until everything is combined. Stir in the chocolate and cranberries. The batter will be very thick- almost like cookie dough.

Spread the batter in a greased 9x13 pan. Bake the blondies for about 18-23 minutes, until the center passes the toothpick test. The blondies are very pale in color- be careful not to overbake them! Let the blondies cool in the pan on a wire rack. When the blondies are cool, frost them with the White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting, sprinkle them with the chopped cranberries, and drizzle them with the melted white chocolate. Refrigerate the blondies a little while before serving, so the frosting can firm up.

Raspberry-Frosted Brownies

I like chocolate, and I like raspberries. They go together so well. It doesn't hurt that cream cheese is involved, either. This is adapted very slightly from the back of a box of brownie mix. 

What You'll Need: 

1 9x13 pan or 2 8x8 pans of your favorite brownies, homemade or from a mix
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
Scant 1/2 cup raspberry jam
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 oz square unsweetened or semisweet baking chocolate
1 tbsp unsalted butter

How to Make It: 

Prepare your brownies and let them cool slightly in their pan on a wire rack. In a medium-sized bowl, beat the cream cheese, jam, and confectioner's sugar until everything is pink, fluffy, and well-combined. Spread this frosting over the brownies in the pan. In a small glass bowl or measuring cup, melt the chocolate with the butter in the microwave (don't burn it!) Whisk it with a fork so the chocolate and butter are completely combined. Using the fork, drizzle this chocolate mixture over the brownies in the pan. I went with a nice, diagonal zigzag pattern. You should have plenty of chocolate to fling over the brownies- if you feel like getting fancy and making a marbleized pattern, go for it! After you've drizzled every last drop of chocolate over the brownies, stick them in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shortbread

This cookies are magical. They really do melt in your mouth. I told my friend they are made of fairy dust and moonbeams because of this purely magical quality. So. Good. I could eat a whole batch of them. Also, these cookies are the slice-and-bake kind, so they turn out pretty perfectly round. This worked to my disadvantage when serving them to friends, because everyone thought they were store-bought and they weren't eating them at first! But they seriously are good- and don't taste store-bought. : )

What You'll Need: 

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup peanut butter (natural works fine in this recipe)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Healthy pinch of sea salt
Handful of chocolate chips (mini, regular size, or even chocolate chunks)

How to Make It: 

Cream the butter and peanut butter together in a large bowl. Beat in the vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, powdered sugar, and the sea salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat to combine. Stir in the chocolate chips. Turn the cookie dough out onto a piece of waxed paper and roll it into a log (about the size of a tube of store-bought cookie dough.) Roll the dough up into the waxed paper and twist the ends to seal it up. Put the cookie dough in the fridge for a few hours (you can freeze it for about an hour, too.)

When you're ready to make the cookies, preheat your oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the cookie dough from the fridge and slice the cookie dough into disks, between a third of an inch to a half inch thick. You should get about 20 small cookies from this roll of dough. Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes until browned the very slightest. They may look a bit raw still, but they're not! If you overbake them, they won't have the same amazing texture. Cool the cookies in a wire rack for a few minutes or bring to room temperature before serving.

Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

These taste so summery!

What You'll Need: 

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 3/4 cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup cold butter, cut up
2 8 oz pkgs cream cheese, soft
2 eggs
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup blueberry jam
2 cups blueberries

How to Make It: 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan. In a bowl, combine the flour and the sugar. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Press the flour mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake the crust until the edges are slightly browned, about 12-15 minutes. Let the crust cool in the pan on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese and sugar in a bowl until smooth. Add the eggs, lemon zest and juice, beating until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Spread the blueberry jam evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the blueberries over the jam layer. Drop the cream cheese mixture, a spoonful at a time, over the berries, then carefully spread it out evenly. Return the pan to the oven and bake just until set, 25-30 minutes. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars and serve.

Creamy Tomato Pasta Bake

I think this is what some people would call a "weeknight dinner." It's easy and pretty cheap, and doesn't take long to prepare. It tasted good, too- much better than just plan pasta and marinara! This is adapted from a recipe I found on pinterest. 

What You'll Need: 

1 16 oz box tubular pasta (I used maltagliati)
1 jar marinara (I used a roasted garlic and onion flavor- I like chunky sauce!)
1 jar alfredo
2 cups shredded mozzarella
Grated parmesan
1 packet Italian dressing mix, optional

How to Make It: 

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees (I set mine to 425 degrees because I heated up frozen garlic breadsticks to serve with the meal. You can always adjust the cooking time if you'd like to do something similar.) In a large bowl, combine the two sauces and 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella. Shake in some of the grated parmesan and the dressing mix, if you're using it, and stir to combine completely. When the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it to the sauce mixture. Stir to coat all the noodles, and pour everything into a 9x13 pan. Top the pasta with the remaining shredded cheese, and some extra parmesan if you'd like. Throw it in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the whole dish is heated through.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

This ganache is for spreading, not for pouring. I am putting it on cupcakes. It is pretty delicious. I am tempted to make a bowl just to eat by myself. : )

What You'll Need: 

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
5 1/2 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
Pinch of salt


How to Make It: 

Put the chocolate and the butter in a medium bowl, and set aside. Combine the cream, the sugar, and the salt in a saucepan and bring to a simmer (just before it starts to boil- but don't scald it!) Let the cream mixture simmer for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and the butter in the bowl. Whisk everything together until the chocolate and butter are melted, and the ganache is silky smooth. Let it sit on the counter (without stirring) for 2-3 hours, or refrigerate for about 45 minutes. If you refrigerate it, bring the ganache to room temperature before stirring it and spreading it on cake, cupcakes, you name it.

Actually Tasty Onion Dip

I have made several onion dips in the past (I won't eat potato chips without it!) and this is the first homemade version that I actually really liked. I hope you like it, too!

What You'll Need: 

2 tsp olive oil or 1 tbsp butter
1 medium to large onion, diced
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup mayo
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

How to Make It: 

Heat the oil or butter in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the onions and the salt, and let the onions caramelize, stirring occasionally (it took about 25 minutes on my stove.) The onions should be golden brown and they should be reduced in size- but not burned to a crisp! Remove the onions from the heat and let them cool a little. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the sour cream, mayo, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Add the onions and stir well to combine. Cover the dip and refrigerate at least an hour to let the flavors mingle. Stir the dip again before serving.

Cheesy Pecan Chicken Casserole

I made this for dinner tonight with roasted carrots and cannellini beans. It was pretty yummy!

What You'll Need: 

1 cup all purpose flour
2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese, divided
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp paprika
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chicken broth
4 cups diced cooked chicken
1/2 onion, finely diced*
1/4 cup mayo
1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce, or more to taste
1 tbsp dijon or spicy brown mustard

How to Make It:

Preheat the oven to 350. In a bowl, combine the flour, 1 cup of the cheese, the pecans, salt, paprika, and vegetable oil. Set aside about 2 cups of the crumb mixture for the topping. Press the remaining crumb mixture on the bottom of a greased 13x9 baking dish. The crust will be crumbly- don't worry about it! Bake the crust for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Pour the mixture over the baked crust, and sprinkle it with the remaining cheesy pecan crumbs. Bake the casserole for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let the casserole stand for 5-10 minutes before serving. This will make 8 very generous servings!

*I don't even bother dicing onion anymore, unless I can throw it in my food processor with something else. Invest in a decent box grater (cheese is better when you grate it yourself, anyway) and just grate the onion. You don't have to touch it as much and it takes a lot less time!

Balsamic and Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Loin

Drop everything you're doing, go to the grocery and get the ingredients for this right now. It is so good. I want to make batches of the sauce and put it on everything- I have a feeling that it would be very yummy on chicken, as well.

What You'll Need:

1 2 lb boneless pork loin

1 tsp ground sage

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp cornstarch

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp soy sauce

How to Make It:

Combine the sage, salt, pepper and garlic in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture over the pork. Place the pork in a slow cooker, and pour the 1/2 cup water in there with it. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. About an hour before the pork loin is done, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch, balsamic vinegar, water and soy sauce in a small saucepan, and heat the pan until the mixture thickens. Stir the sauce frequently so you don't get little lumps of cornstarch in it. Brush the roast with the glaze two or three times in the last hour of cooking, and serve the roast with whatever sauce you have left over. Or you can be like me and double the sauce recipe so you'll have plenty to go around!

Glazed Lemon Pound Cake

Be sure to properly grease and flour your cake pan. I wasn't paying attention, missed a spot, and my cake broke in half. It was still good, though!

What You'll Need:

For the cake:

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

1 cup milk

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp vanilla

Juice of 1 lemon

For the glaze:

Powdered sugar

Lemon juice

How to Make It:

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Beat the butter and shortening at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add the sugar, beating until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt, and add it to the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest, vanilla, and lemon juice. Pour the batter into a greased and floured Bundt or tube pan. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a long wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert the pan onto a serving platter, and top with the glaze.

For the glaze, start with a healthy amount of powdered sugar- I used 1 1/2 cups, but you might want to use a little less. Add lemon juice to the powdered sugar and whisk until it's a nice, glaze-y consistency. You can use the bottled lemon juice for this, or freshly squeezed lemon juice. Either way, you're going to use several tablespoons of juice. When your glaze is finished, drizzle it over the cake, and you're done!

Raspberry Truffle Brownies

Really more truffle than brownies, these are super yummy and very rich. Be sure to cut them into tiny pieces!

What You'll Need:

3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup butter

1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 tbsp whipping cream

2 tbsp butter

4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 1/4 cups raspberries, optional

How to Make It:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 inch square pan, line it with foil, then grease the foil. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the unsweetened chocolate, butter, and jam, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove the pan from the heat. In a bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until frothy. Slowly whisk in the chocolate mixture, then the flour, mixing until smooth. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the brownies are set, about 25-30 minutes (but don't try the "toothpick test" with these brownies- if you wait till the toothpick comes out clean, the brownies will be way overdone!) Let the brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

In a small saucepan over low heat, heat the cream, butter and semisweet chocolate, stirring until smooth. Let this chocolate mixture cool slightly, then pour it over the brownies and spread it evenly. Top the brownies with the raspberries, if you're using them, and chill the pan until the brownies are cold. Lift the foil out of the pan, cut up the brownies and serve.

These brownies need to stay refrigerated as long as possible- if you let them sit out on a serving plate for too long, they get too soft and they're hard to eat!

Buffalo Chicken Calzones

What You'll Need:

1 can (8 oz) pizza sauce (I like Muir Glen)

2 tsp plus 1/2 cup hot sauce, divided

1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed

3 tbsp butter

A dash of Cajun seasoning (I used Emeril Lagasse's recipe, scaled down)

2 tubes (10 oz each( refrigerated pizza crust dough

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

2 oz very finely crumbled blue cheese, optional

Cornmeal

How to Make It:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, combine the pizza sauce and 2 tsp hot sauce; set aside. In a skillet, saute the chicken in the butter for 3-5 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink. Stir in the Cajun seasoning and the remaining hot sauce, cover the pan and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until everything is heated through. Unroll the pizza dough and divide each portion in half. On a floured surface, roll each dough portion into an 8 inch circle. Spread the pizza sauce mixture over half of each circle within 1 inch of the edge of the dough. Top the sauce with the chicken mixture and the cheeses. Fold the dough over the filling and pinch the edges to seal. Sprinkle a greased baking sheet (or two, if you need it) with cornmeal. Place the calzones over the cornmeal, and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

Baked Apple and Spice Cake Trifle

What You'll Need:

1 box spice cake mix

1 1/4 cups cinnamon apple sauce (I like Musselman's)

3 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 can apple pie filling

1 tbsp butter

7 tsp cinnamon, divided

3 cups cold milk

1 pkg instant vanilla pudding mix

1 envelope whipped topping mix

1 carton Cool Whip, thawed

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/ cup toffee bits, optional

How to Make It:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine the dry cake mix, applesauce, eggs, and oil; beat everything on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour the batter into a greased 13x9 baking pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until done. Cool the cake on a wire rack. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, cook the pie filling, butter, and 1 tsp cinnamon on medium-low heat until the butter is melted; stir well to combine. Let the apples cool. In a mixing bowl, combine the milk, pudding mix, topping mix, and the remaining cinnamon. Beat on high speed until thickened, about 5 minutes. Let the pudding stand for 5 minutes after that. Spread a third of the Cool Whip in the bottom of a trifle bowl. Cut the cake into cubes, and place half the cake cubes on top of the Cool Whip. Top that with half the apples, half the walnuts, and half the pudding. Repeat the layers, ending with the last third of the Cool Whip. Sprinkle the toffee bits on top. Cover the trifle and let it chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Everybody's Queso

Almost everyone has this queso recipe. Seriously. But apparently a few people don't, and they were at my open house this weekend and liked it. So here's the recipe (I didn't even get to eat any myself- by the time I was ready to eat, the slow cooker had been scraped clean of all cheesiness.)

What You'll Need:

1 2 lb loaf Velveeta

1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 lb sausage, cooked and crumbled

1/4 cup milk

How to Make It:

Cube the Velveeta and place it in a small slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker and turn the heat on high until the cheese is mostly melted. Add the tomatoes, sausage, and milk, and stir. Continue heating the queso, stirring occasionally, until everything is nicely combined. Then turn the heat to low.

Strawberry Fruit Dip

This stuff is so yummy, and it makes a lot!

What You'll Need:

1 container (8 oz) spreadable strawberry cream cheese

4 tbsp strawberry jam or preserves

1 carton Cool Whip, thawed

1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme

How to Make It:

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and preserves until well combined. Add the Cool Whip and marshmallow creme and beat on low until well combined. Cover the dip and refrigerate it until you're ready to eat it. Serve it with your favorite fresh fruit (I like it best with blueberries!)

"Elvis" Pie

I hear that Elvis liked peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Also bacon. This pie has peanut butter and bananas, and therefore, it was named for Elvis.

What You'll Need:

For the filling:

1 cup peanut butter

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup cold heavy cream

1 9-inch graham cracker crust

2 bananas, sliced

For the topping:

1 cup cold heavy cream

1/4 cup sugar

Chopped roasted peanuts

How to Make It:

In a medium bowl, cream the peanut butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. In another bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form (it will almost be the consistency of Cool Whip.) Mix the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture with your mixture set on low, until everything is smoothly combined. Pour half of the filling into the pie crust, and smooth it out with a spatula. Layer the bananas on top. Pour the rest of the peanut butter filling over the bananas and spread it out with the spatula. Cover the pie and refrigerate at least an hour, or overnight. When you're ready to make the topping, beat the remaining cream and sugar with your mixer until soft peaks form. Spread the topping over the pie, and top with the chopped peanuts.

Sesame Noodles with Cucumber and Carrots

What You'll Need:

1 package thin spaghetti (or another stringy noodle, if you prefer)

1 cup orange juice (I prefer Simply Orange, which you can buy in small bottles if you're like me and don't drink OJ on a regular basis)

1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp grated, peeled fresh ginger

2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 10 oz bag shredded carrots

3 Kirby (or pickling) cucumbers, unpeeled and sliced into matchstick strips

2 green onions, thinly sliced

2 tbsp sesame seeds

How To Make It:

In a large pot, cook the spaghetti as the package directs. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, peanut butter, oil, ginger, sugar, and red pepper until blended as best you can (an immersion blender would work really well for this, but a whisk will work just fine.) Set the sauce aside. Place the carrots in a colander, and drain the spaghetti over the carrots. Place the pasta and carrots in a large serving bowl and add the cucumbers, green onions, and sauce. Toss everything to combine well. Sprinkle the pasta with sesame seeds, and serve!

Fail-Proof Chicken

You literally cannot screw up this chicken. Seriously. It's that easy.

What You'll Need:

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 packet dry Italian dressing mix

1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened

2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup

How To Make It:

Place the chicken in your slow cooker, and sprinkle it with the dressing mix. In a separate bowl, mix the cream cheese and soup. Pour the soup mixture over the chicken. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Shred the chicken with a fork (it'll be really tender!) and serve over rice or noodles. Or, do what I did: I served mine over leftover breakfast biscuits. So yummy!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

What You'll Need:

1 store-bought graham cracker crust, extra large, or 2 regular-sized graham cracker crusts*

3 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup canned pumpkin

3 eggs

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp allspice

Homemade whipped cream and extra cinnamon for dusting, if you fancy

How To Make It:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Add the pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, and beat until everything is combined and there are no lumps of pumpkin in the batter. Pour the filling into the crust(s), and bake for 60-70 minutes until done. A cheesecake is done when the center still shimmers a bit when you wiggle the pan. The edges puff up a bit as well. If it starts to crack, it's a little overdone, but still edible! You're going to slice it up anyway, right? Once the cheesecake cools to room temperature, stick it in the fridge until it's cooled all the way and you're ready to eat it.

*This recipe makes quite a bit of cheesecake batter- I still had a healthy amount left over, even when I used the extra-large pie crust. If you use 2 regular sized crusts, your cheesecakes will be a bit more shallow than normal, but delicious nonetheless. You may want to lessen the cooking time by 10 minutes or so.