Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

I consider myself a hard core peanut butter lover, and these were a bit much for me. I love them for the first two bites, and then I feel like I have had enough sugar to last the average person a month! Peanut butter cookie bottom, with a peanut butter top, and a yummy cheesecake esk middle, with peanut butter chips!!!
It is CRay cray! Let's get on our way!

Ingredients
16 oz roll of peanut butter cookie dough
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 C sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Cup of Reeses Peanut Butter Chips

Get It Done
1. Grease an 8x8 pan
2. In a mixing bowl place cream cheese, egg, vanilla, and sweetened condensed milk. Beat until smooth and creamy. Stir in peanut butter chips.
3. Press in half of cookie dough into the bottom of the pan (wet hands help the dough not stick to your fingers). Pour cheesecake mixture over
4. Break up remaining cookie dough and scatter on top of cheesecake mixture in pan.
5. Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes, or until lightly brown on top.

Ham and Cheese Roll Ups

Todd wasn't a big fan, and neither were my boys, but I loved them! That is why they made it to the blog! If I were going to make them again, I would probably line the 'bread' with Alfredo sauce before putting on the ham and cheese.

1 ½ C warm water

2 T sugar

1 T yeast

1/2 t salt

4-4 ½ C flour

1 pound deli ham, sliced thin

2 C cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Pour 1 1/2 C warm water into your stand mixer and preheat your oven to 170 degrees. (You read it right...170 degrees is all you need.)

2.  Add 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon yeast. Turn the mixer on low for about 30 seconds allowing the ingredients to combine. Let it rest for 5 minutes, or until it gets all bubbly.

3. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 cups flour. Turn the mixer on to low and let the flour mix in. Add the rest of the flour (2 1/2 cups worth) one cup at a time. When the dough pulls itself away from the side of the bowl, you have enough flour.

4. Turn the mixer to medium speed and allow it to mix for 5 minutes.

5. Spray your counter with cooking spray, divide the dough into two equal parts and allow them to rest on the counter for 5 minutes. Don't skip this step, ok? If you don't let the dough rest it won't roll out nicely and then you might start to cry and then your kids would think you have lost you mind. Thanks for your cooperation.

6. After the dough has rested roll the old girl out into a large rectangle.

7. Cover it with half of the ham and sprinkle it with 1 cup of cheddar cheese.

8. Roll the dough up starting at the longer end.

9. Spray a large knife with cooking spray and slice the roll into 12 rounds.

10. Place each pinwheel onto a large cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

11. Repeat steps 6-10 with the other half of the dough.

12. Place both pans into your warm 170 degree oven for about 10 minutes, or until they start to rise just a bit. You don't want them to get super puffy, you just want the dough to have the chance to expand a little, like you see in the picture above.

13. Turn the oven up to 350 degrees (don't take the pans out of the oven) and let the pinwheels bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown along the top and bottom.

14. Take the pans out of the oven and let the pinwheels rest for about 5 minutes...then gobble them up.

Enjoy!

TIP: placing plastic wrap over your dough will keep it from getting dry spots on it

Avocado Wraps

Ingredients

2 cups cooked chicken strips

½ cup Mexican cheese blend ( or mozzarella any cheese you like)

1 avocado sliced

2 tablespoons cilantro chopped

4 large tortillas

oil

Method One:

Mix the shredded chicken, cheese, cilantro, and the diced avocados.

Lay a tortilla flat on a plate and add ¼ of the mixture, form a roll. repeat the process for all four tortillas.

pour 1 tablespoon oil into a heated pan or griddle. Place all four tortillas on the pan and cook for 2 minutes on medium- high heat. Flip on the other side and cook for another minutes or until the the burritos are golden in color. Serve warm.

Method Two:

Because my family is picky, and because I don’t have a pan big enough to cook all of them at the same times I did them individually. Line each tortilla with chicken, then avocado, then cilantro, then top with cheese. Roll wrap and brush with oil on either side, cook on either side until golden.

TIPS:

-       We used Kaleen’s Chicken for this, and it was really good, probably one of Todd’s favorites

-       We also added ranch dressing inside for a less healthy option

-       I used the flat plates on the George Forman to speed up cooking, they turned out great!

-       Wraps can be frozen cooked or uncooked for up to 3 months.

Graham Crackers

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup brown sugar, packed

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ cup butter, chilled & cubed

¼ cup honey

¼ cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

optional: 1 tablespoon wheat germ or flax seed

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor or mixer combine the first 6 ingredients. (If using wheat germ or flax seed add here.)

Add cubed and chilled butter to the mix and pulse/mix until it resembles coarse meal.

Add honey, water and vanilla and continue to mix until it all combines.

Remove and shape the dough into a flat disk and place between two pieces of wax or parchment paper.

Roll dough out until ¼ inch thick. Cut into crackers or shapes. Combine the dough scraps and roll out again to cut more shapes.

Place cookies on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Cool.

We made up some YUMMMMMMMMMY s'mores with them! So delish, used this marshmallow recipe

TIP! You can freeze the dough after the shapes are made (I haven't tried it yet) cut the shapes place them on wax paper and place them into the freezer, wait until they harden then you can place them in a freezer safe container. When ready to cook pull out as many as you want and cook as directed adding 2-3 minutes of cooking time! 

Chicken Tortilla Bake (Wilson Style)

Ingredients

1 10 3/4oz cans of cream of chicken

1 10oz can of dice tomatoes and green chilies (rotel)

tortillas

2-3 cups of cooked chicken cubes

Tortilla chips

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine the 2 cans and mix them up, then add chicken, then set aside Chop or rip up the tortillas into bite sized pieces. Layer half of the tortillas onto the bottom of a 3 quart pan Then spoon 1/2 the soup mixture on top of the tortillas. Repeat layers and top with tortilla chips.

Cover and bake for 40 minutes

Top with cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes until the cheese melts Eat with extra tortilla chips.

Peanut Butter Cookies

These weren't bad, they will do in a pinch but I am still looking for the perfect peanut butter cookies

1 ½ C All Purpose Flour

½  tsp Baking Powder

pinch of salt

½  C Butter

¾  C Peanut Butter

1 ½  tsp Vanilla

½  C Brown Sugar

½  C White Sugar

2 medium sized Eggs

extra sugar for rolling

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
2. Beat together the butter, peanut butter, and vanilla. Mix in sugars, salt, and baking powder.
3. Gradually mix in the flour, half at a time.
4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
5. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and then roll the balls into sugar. Using a fork, flatten the cookie and make a criss-cross pattern. Bake for 12-13 minutes. Let cookies cool on the cookie sheet after taking them out for about 8 minutes before removing them with a spatula. Cool completely before storing. Enjoy!

Kaleen's Chicken

I may be way behind in the times, but I LOVE the way Kaleen season's her chicken. It is flavorful and really if you do it right, pretty healthy for you too!

Chicken
Butter/Olive Oil (I have used Olive Oil instead of butter and we can't tell the difference)
Garlic Powder
Garlic Salt
Onion Powder
Onion Salt

Place butter/olive oil in your pan let melt/warm up. Your chicken will cook faster if you cut it up, either way though. Place chicken into warm pan, and season to your liking with the spices. If I were to do a Hierarchy of the spices I would say Onion powder, then Garlic Powder, then Onion salt, then Garlic salt. We like garlic here, but not as a main taste, so less is better. Corbyn loves Kaleen's Chicken just plain, but we usually stick it in things (wraps, casseroles, etc)

Butter Tip

Saw this online
If your recipe calls for softened butter and you don't want to wait around for it to soften, you can cut it up on the counter, and it will soften much faster! Yay!

Meatball Tip

When making Mom's Meatballs here are a few tips to make life easier!

1. Make them in bulk and then freeze them

2. Rather than frying them all by hand put them in the oven at 350 and watch them depending on the size of your balls will determine your cook time. I cooked mine for just under a half hour.

Marshmallows!

Who knew you could make your own marshmallows?! To fall asleep I will watch cooking videos, Corbyn was watching with me one night, and we saw a video on making marshmallows, Corbyn really wanted to make them, so as the doting mother I am we made them!

Bloom

2 ½ TBS Gelatin

½ C Water

Boil

Sugar mixture

½ C Water

1/3 C Light Corn Syrup

2 C Sugar

¼ tsp Salt

Add

2 tsp Vanilla 

Coat

½ C Confections Sugar

½ C Cornstarch

The marshmallow fluff is very sticky, so start by lining a 9x13 pan with a foil ‘sling’. Make sure there are 2-3 inches of foil hanging off so that it is easier to release the marshmallows. Spray the foil with non-stick spray. I used olive oil.

1.       “Bloom” 2 ½ TBS of gelatin in ½ C of water. Place the water in your mixer first and then sprinkle the gelatin over the water.  Let it sit at least 15 minutes.

2.    In a Sauce pan combine ½ C water, 1/3 C Corn Syrup, 2 C white (granulated) sugar, and ¼ tsp of salt. ****NOTE**** to avoid crystallization pour Sugar into center of pan and don’t let it hit the sides.

3.    Bring to a boil over M-H heat You can swirl the pan from time to time BUT DON’T STIR!

4.    Bring syrup to 240°

5.    Attach whisk attachment and on low break up your gelatin mixture.

6.     With whisk on low SLOWLY and CAREFULLY pour in the hot syrup mixture, try not to splash.

7.    Gradually turn the speed to high and mix for 10-12 minutes (I set the timer) feel the bowl, when it is almost cool then your marshmallows are ready. Try to make it mix as long as possible. The longer it mixes the more springy your mallows will be.

8.     Toward the end add your vanilla

9.     WORK FAST!!!! Scrap the mallow mixture into your foil pan with a greased spatula. You wont be able to get all of it out so don’t mess with trying to get it all out. The mixture cools very quickly, smooth it as best you can.

10. In a bowl whisk together 1/2 C powder (confectioners) sugar with 1/2 C corn starch, sprinkle 2 TBS of the mixture over the marshmallow (***NOTE: I could have easily used a 1/4 C of each instead of the whole 1/2C)

11. Cover with wrap and let sit over night

12. Dump out marshmallow square, and using a greased knife cut into desired size(s). Then place marshmallows in cornstarch/powder sugar mixture to cover.

13. Tap off excess cornstarch powder in a sifter over the sink. 

14. Place in an airtight container for up to two weeks

15.  ENJOY!!!

The marshmallow fluff is very sticky, so start by lining a 9x13 pan with a foil ‘sling’. Make sure there are 2-3 inches of foil hanging off so that it is easier to release the marshmallows. Spray the foil with non-stick spray. I used olive oil.

1.       “Bloom” 2 ½ TBS of gelatin in ½ of water. Place the water in your mixer first and then sprinkle the gelatin over the water.  Let it sit at least 15 minutes.

2.    In a Sauce pan combine ½ C water, 1/3 C Corn Syrup, 2 C white (granulated sugar), and ¼ tsp of salt. ****NOTE**** to avoid crystallization pour Sugar into center of pan and don’t let it hit the sides.

3.    Bring to a boil over M-H heat You can swirl the pan from time to time BUT DON’T STIR!

4.    Bring syrup to 240°

6.     With whisk on low SLOWLY and CARFULLY pour in the hot syrup mixture, try not to splash.

7.    Gradually turn the speed to high and mix for 10-12 minutes (I set the timer) feel the bowl, when it is almost cool then your marshmallows are ready. Try to make it mix as long as possible. The longer it mixes the more springy your mallows will be.

8.     Toward the end add your vanilla

9.     WORK FAST!!!! Scrap the mallow mixture into your foil pan with a greased spatula. You wont be able to get all of it out so don’t mess with trying to get it all out. The mixture cools very quickly, smooth it as best you can.

10. In a bowl whisk together 1/2 C powder (confectioners) sugar with 1/2 C corn starch, sprinkle 2 TBS of the mixture over the marshmallow (***NOTE: I could have easily used a 1/4 C of each instead of the whole 1/2C)

11. Cover with wrap and let sit over night

12. Dump out marshmallow square, and using a greased knife cut into desired size(s). Then place marshmallows in cornstarch/powder sugar mixture to cover.

13. Tap off excess cornstarch powder in a sifter over the sink. 

14. Place in an airtight container for up to two weeks

15.  ENJOY!!!

Delish!

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Time: 10 minutes prep + 9 hours cooking

Yield: 6-8 sandwiches

  

1   3 pound pork roast (not frozen)

2 T olive oil

Montreal Steak Seasoning

3-4 C Root Beer ( Dr. Pepper or Coke would work too)

1 1/2 – 2 C Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce

8 rolls

1. Place your pretty pork roast on a plate. Season it generously with Montreal Steak Seasoning, top and bottom. Pat the seasoning into the roast with your fingers.

2. Into a large hot skillet pour about 2 T olive oil. Place your Pork Roast into the skillet. If you need sprinkle some more Montreal Steak Seasoning on. Sear all sides (seals in juices while it cooks in crockpot).

3. Place your pork roast in the crockpot. Pour root beer over the roast, set your slow cooker on low, and cook for 7 hours.

4. Remove the roast from the pan, shred it all up and place it back in the soda juices. Let it cook for 1 hour more.

5. Drain most of the juices pour the BBQ sauce in. Stir it well to incorporate. Cook for 30-60 more minutes.

Serve on some yummy buns.

Enjoy!