No-Bake Nutella Cheesecakes

As of this week, melskitchencafe.com has become my favorite source for recipes. Because her pictures of food are mouth-watering, I click and print almost every recipe. I just have to try it. If it tastes as good as it looks, it must be amazing.

So rich, but so delicious. This mousse-type dessert so smoothly melts in your mouth, it leaves you dreaming about it for several days. Here is the original source.



*Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:
18 Oreo cookies, crushed into crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Cheesecake:
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Garnish:
Extra sweetened whipped cream, optional
Crushed oreos or chocolate curls, optional

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium bowl, stir together the Oreo cookie crumbs and melted butter. Evenly divide the crumbs between your individual serving dishes and press into the bottoms of the dishes to form a crust layer. Glass dessert cups work well for this, as well as mini-trifle dishes; you could also use a mini-cheesecake pan or simply small glass bowls.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until light and smooth. Add the nutella and mix until combined and smooth. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. In another medium/large bowl, whip the cream and powdered sugar together until medium to stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the whipped cream into the cream cheese/nutella mixture until well blended and no streaks remain.

Spoon the filling into individual serving dishes on top of the crust. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving, at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.

If desired, garnish with additional whipped topping, chocolate shavings, and/or toasted, chopped hazelnuts.

Mushroom Lasagna with White Sauce

I made this the other night and it was soooo good. A very different take on lasagna but this is actually my very first successful making of any type of lasagna. You also learn how to make a white sauce here which most people think they have to buy. I got the recipe here.



*Note: If you don't care to use no-boil noodles or don't have them on hand, substitute regular lasagna noodles, boiling and draining them prior to assembling the lasagna.

*Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

12 no-boil lasagna noodles (I prefer the Barilla brand)
1 large clove garlic, minced
4 cups whole milk
3/4 cup (12 tablespoons or 1 1/2 sticks) butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 pounds cremini or baby bella mushrooms (or a combination of both)
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

For the white sauce, bring the milk and garlic to a simmer in a medium saucepan, or heat it in your microwave in a glass liquid measure, and set it aside. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons or 1 stick) butter. Add the flour and cook for one minute over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon. Pour in the hot milk, a little at a time at first and whisking until combined. Once you’ve added half of it, you can add the second half all at once, along with 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt, the pepper, and nutmeg. Cook the white sauce over medium-low heat, stirring or whisking frequently, anywhere from 3 to 10 minutes, or until thick. Set aside.

To prepare the mushrooms, slice the mushrooms 1/4-inch thick, trimming stems if desired (I left them on). In a large 12-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms with a couple pinches of salt and cook for about 5 minutes, until they are tender and release some of their juices. Stir occasionally to make sure they cook evenly.

To assemble the lasagna, lightly coat with cooking spray the bottom and sides of a 9X13-inch baking dish. Spread 1/4 cup or so of the white sauce in the bottom of the dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top (I used 3 no-boil noodles for each layer without overlapping them - just laying them next to each other), then more sauce (about 1/4 of what remains), 1/3 of the mushrooms and 1/3 or so cup of the grated cheese. Repeat two more times then top with a final layer of noodles, your remaining sauce and last 1/4 cup of cheese.

Bake the lasagna for 45 minutes, or until top is browned and the sauce is bubbly. Remove from oven and let sit, lightly covered for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Lemon Ice Cream!

I got this recipe from my mom, who got it from my brother in-law, who got it from his mom, who got it from a lady in her ward (Bertha Stromberg, who is insistant in getting credit for this recipe). It just goes to show that it is definitely a recipe worth passing along!

Here is the original recipe: http://chrisyscookin.blogspot.com/2009/07/lemon-ice-cream.html
(Chris is the queen of delicious desserts. You may want to check out her cooking blog :)


When I make it this is what I do:

3 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups Half and Half
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (3 or 4 lemons depending on size)
Lemon zest
and if I have it, a few drops of lemon extract. But it works fine without it.

Combine all ingredients and freeze in an ice cream freezer.

Pasta and Feta Cheese Casserole

Ted and I are currently on a "eat less red meat" (among other things) kick, and I found this recipe here, used fat free, milk and yogurt, and it still was sooo creamy and comforting. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound shell pasta
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 - 3 fresh green chillies or jalapeños
• 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste (I didnt have. so I used 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• 12 oz Feta cheese, crumbled (I didnt quite use it all)
• 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and havled
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions:

• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water to al denteaccording to package instructions. Rinse, drain, and set aside.
• Heat the butter in a large saucepan. When it is hot, add the onion, garlic and peppers. Cook and stir for a few minutes. Next, add the flour and cook for a few minutes more.
• Add the milk and yogurt, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
• Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, along with the Feta cheese, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the olives, fresh herbs and oregano. Stir to combine and transfer the mixture to a 9 × 13 baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan over the top of the casserole. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the casserole is hot and the top is browned and bubbling.

Peanut Butter/Graham Cracker Dessert

1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs

1 lb (3 1/2 C) powdered sugar

1 1/2 C creamy peanut butter

1 C (2 sticks) real butter, melted

1 12oz bag chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet, or dark, you pick!)

2 tsp shortening

In a large mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and peanut butter and butter and beat until combined. Press into a parchment (or waxed paper or foil) lined 9×13 pan.Place chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one, until melted and smooth. Pour chocolate over peanut butter mixture and spread out evenly. Place pan in the fridge just until chocolate is set and then cut into bars. Tip: If the bars chill until the chocolate is too hard to easily cut, use a sharp knife and score the cuts first, then gently cut through. Can be stored in the fridge or at room temp. They will stay firmer if stored in the fridge.

*Tip: Love this tip from one you! Instead of adding shortening to the chocolate topping, add a scoop of peanut butter. That will prevent the top from getting solid and it will taste yummy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe just might give The World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookie a run for it's money, depending on the type of cookie you like.  You must underbake these.  They won't look done when you pull them out of the oven, but as they sit, they set.


Cream together:
1 cup Crisco
¾ cup sugar
¾ brown sugar

add 2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

switch beaters from whisk to 3 prongs

add 2 1/4  cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

add chocolate chips

Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.

Frog Eye Salad

BEST EVER!!!

1/2 box (1 cup) frog eye noodles (Acini Pepe)

Cook according to package directions and rinse with cold water

1 small package vanilla pudding

3/4 cup milk

Mix pudding and milk together and set aside

2 15 oz. cans pineapple tidbits drained

2 10 oz. cans mandarin oranges drained

2 8 oz. cool whip

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.  Add shredded coconut and marshmallows to taste.  Stir and refrigerate.